A Second Chance
by Elphaba01
Summary: The future Weasley/Potter clan has managed to get themselves 23 years into the past. Ted's feeling a bit awkward, Lucy blows James's cover, Dom's not being overly fond of a certain Black, Rose is just a tad bit angry and - wait ... 'I LOOK REALLY, REALLY OLD,' Padfoot cried. 'MOONY, YOU LOOK REALLY, REALLY OLD TOO.' Confused, aren't we, Harry? I don't own HP.
1. Chapter 1

**FIRST OFF: THIS IS ****NOT**** A TED/JAMES STORY. I am strictly Victoire/Teddy, if you must know ;) **

**I'm sorry that I'm doing this, and that it's not the most original of stories, but OH MY GOD, I LOVE THESE TIME TRAVEL ONES SO MUCH. I was planning to do it so the kids go back to the Deathly Hallows, and I **_**have**_** started a couple of chapters of it, but I haven't got that particular book in my hands right now, therefore it wouldn't be accurate.**

**But I HAVE got the Order of the Phoenix, and I enjoy writing it in the Order of the Phoenix. So it's okay.**

**I do realise that this chapter is quite long. 17 pages, actually. Sorry for going a bit overboard with that.**

**I also realise that I missed out the intro on how they got in the past in the first place, but I think I'll let that unfold. Mwahahaaa!**

**I'm sort of writing this story when I'm in my less focused mood, and of course, 'cause its fun ;) **

**I'm only saying this disclaimer thing once: **

_**I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, BECAUSE, IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, I AM UNFORTUNATELY NOT J.K ROWLING – WHO'S LEGEND. **_

**So yeah. Sorry for the long description. Enjoy :) **

His lungs were burning. His eyes were stinging. He felt like he was at the bottom of the pit of all things heavy. With that thought he heard moaning above him, and it answered all his questions.

'What just _happened_?' James's voice carried around the room with a groan. 'And why am I lying on top of you?'

'I don't know,' he grumbled, throwing the oldest Potter son to the side so he could stand. When he did, James held out a hand for him to pull with a smirk, and reluctantly he accepted his help. For a frightening moment he thought that Rose was beginning rubbing off him, because he was tempted to give him a rant about how stupid he and Fred was when they were fiddling with the time turners.

The two froze at the same thought. 'You don't think...?' James began.

'Yes,' he confirmed. 'I do.' He didn't bother to mention that James was going to painfully die by the wrath of Rose's peril.

He looked around as James muttered animatedly to himself, starting to become familiar of his surroundings. Damp green paint on the walls that look like they're on the verge of ripping, dusty cobwebs in the corners, squeaky floorboards – it was 12 Grimmauld Place, except it was undoubtedly more darker compared to the last time he came here.

'Where are the others?' Ted suddenly asked. Fear passed through them with a look they had proved to share a lot; James being overly protective for his own good and Ted being the eldest, they'd spend about half of the week worrying about their siblings and cousins. In this silence they heard muffled voices, some low and some quite high, which for him was a start to find their family – or adopted family, in Ted's case.

'Let's go,' said James, and although he was underage he got out his wand the same time Ted turned the doorknob and held out his. To their relief, nobody occupied the hallway.

James leaded the way, since he had perfected sneaking around through the years because of pranks. He truly did look like Harry when he was this determined – except for his eyes, which was a warm shade of hazel, like his mother's. When he heard some recognised voices, he quirked up an eyebrow at Ted in question.

'Don't you _dare _hold your wand in front of me!' Ted heard Victoire's stubborn voice yell at a gruff one, and sighed. She was far too challenging, even when her side of the argument was unreasonable.

'Victoire, shut up,' a tired Louis told her.

'Where's Teddy? And James?' a confused-sounding Lucy asked, and the look in James's eyes was murderous. For the hundredth time, Lucy had blown his cover unintentionally.

As soon she said it a loud slam of a door opening was heard from down the hall, following heavy and fast-paced footsteps coming towards them. Ted shoved James back towards the wall along with him and gripped his wand – which had belonged to his father – beside him. 'Don't do _anything_,' Ted told James sternly, who was about to protest when a man came around the corner. '_Expelliarmus!' _Teddy yelled when a figure was in sight, and to his delight he dropped his wand, making it roll on the floor towards them.

'Ted,' James said quietly in his ear. 'Look at the wand.'

When he did, he crossed his eyebrows in confusion. It couldn't be. He looked at James, who had the same face as he wore. No ... _he was dead _...

He looked at the person in question, and immediately he dropped his wand.

* * *

'Who are you?' barked a very mad Mad-Eye Moody so close in his face his nose was on the verge of touching his. All Ted was giving an impassive look.

'Don't tie my family up,' he said tiredly. 'They didn't do anything wrong. At least, most of them,' he added, giving James an unimpressed glance. 'We'll tell you everything, okay? Just... untie them.'

Moody took a step back, observing his eyes while Ted didn't dare look away from his intimidating one. After a few moments he announced, 'Untie them,' with a gruff voice. Ted let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding, and now he had a chance to see who else was in the room.

Victoire, Lily, Lucy, Molly, Dom, Roxanne, Albus, Rose, Hugo, Fred – all of which were standing up with betrayed expressions – and of course, James, who was sitting beside him – were all being released. 'I still don't agree with holding children prisoner, Alastor,' commented an extremely familiar voice – Mrs Weasley, or also known as Gran. But when he turned towards her, she was untying a very bewildered Rose as Mr Weasley – Granddad – was untying Victoire. They had less wrinkles and only had streaks of gray in their hair, and although they were kind, they didn't greet their grandchildren with any sort of knowing, loving way.

But Rose, being one of the brightest, gave James an extremely dark, dark look. 'I am SO going to kill you.'

'What? I didn't – oh,' he said, realising Rose was catching on with their prediction. 'Oh yeah, about that ...'

'Oh Merlin,' Victoire breathed as she spotted was Ted was staring at – a very oblivious Tonks and a curious Remus. Ted swallowed nervously; he regretted assuring Mad-Eye that he'd tell him everything. He honestly couldn't bear telling his deceased parents that he was, you know, their future child, since he wasn't even sure if they were interested in each other yet. Victoire gave him a concerned look.

He almost smiled at his father, who was studying Ted's wand, perplexed. Despite the mixed feelings that were churning in his stomach – which was, quite frankly, making him feel sick – he couldn't help but be a little amused at how little his father knew of his future.

About him being Ted's father. Not the got killed-in-a-massive-battle-against-Voldemort-and-h is-followers part.

All Albus was staring at was an unenthusiastic Snape and an entertained Albus Dumbledore. 'Don't stare,' Roxanne whispered in his ear. He just nodded but couldn't take his eye off them anyway, nor could the others now that they saw what he was looking open-mouthed at.

Severus noticed this after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. 'Do you have something to say, boy?' he said nasally. The boys just burst out laughing as the girls tried to silence them but was unable to retain a serious face in doing so.

'Oh, Severus,' Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head with a smile. 'I think it's best that you stay quiet for a while.'

'Why?'

'Because – it doesn't matter,' he dismissed. This just made them laugh harder. How could their parents bare seven whole years in Hogwarts hearing his voice?

OK, let's not answer _that_.

After a few moments passed a lower chuckle began to join in, which made the older ones from the clan of kids stop immediately and stare at a laughing Sirius Black, who had suddenly appeared sitting on one of the chairs. 'What?' he asked calmly before laying his eyes on James. '_James?_'

'Oh, I – um ...' James stuttered. 'I _am_ James, just... just not yours.'

'How –?' A befuddled Sirius began, but was interrupted by Dumbledore strolling around the long table and giving a reassuring smile to Ted.

'What's your name, dear boy?' he asked kindly.

'Teddy.'

'Teddy?' Tonks said, interested, from beside Hugo. He almost wanted to march out of the room and curl up in a ball, he felt so suddenly grieving. She looked at everyone's faces that were looking at her and added, 'Nevermind. Sorry, carry on.'

'Teddy, may I...?' Dumbledore said, referring to Legilimency, gesturing both of their foreheads with a finger. Ted nodded and looked into his pools of blue.

Crying. Sea. Smiles. Laughter. Tears. The tire swing. Playing with Harry and the others. Meeting Victoire in her forested garden, and the caterpillar they were determined to find. Christmas dinners. The magic and joy of opening presents. Mrs Weasley's orders to cook the turkey. Harry telling tales about his deceased parents. Snape. Dumbledore. Sirius. Fred the First. How George managed to get his ear blasted off. His curiosity with the Second Wizarding War, and being annoyed to no end when he received nearly no answers. Getting the owl from Hogwarts. Being sorted into Gryffindor. First year. Nearly setting fire George's joke shop – unintentionally, of course. Second year. Victoire being sorted into Gryffindor, and his overwhelming happiness. Third year. Trying for the Quidditch team, but didn't get in. Fourth year. The Potions accident. Fifth year. Finally being able to gain proper control of changing form. Sixth year. Seventh year. Falling in love with a certain blonde Weasley. Graduating. That not-so-secret kiss at Platform 9 and ¾ –

'That should be enough,' Dumbledore said when Ted opened his eyes to find his hands gripping on the chair so hard that his knuckles turned white. He rubbed his knuckles and gave a concerned Victoire a smile. 'They can be trusted.'

'So how'd they come here, then?' piped up a younger Bill, who, much to their amusement, raised his eyebrows at them all when his future family snickered.

'Yeah, James,' Rose said, eyeing her cousin, crossing her arms over her chest and making a unconvinced face, much like her mother's. 'How _did _we come here?'

'I'm not all to blame here!' he said. 'Fred joined in too!'

'What! How could – I didn't – fine,' Fred confessed. 'We were fiddling with one of those Time Turners while we were at a family gathering. We didn't exactly _know _at the time what it was, so –'

Louis shook his head, grinning. 'You guys are _so _dead.'

'We know,' James admitted quietly. He was cowering away from a fuming Rose.

'That's all very well,' Remus told them. Again, Ted's muscles clenched. He didn't like this ... at all. 'But that doesn't exactly explain who you are.'

'Ah,' Sirius said, the truth dawning on him first as he nodded. 'I get it now. That explains a lot of my queries.'

'Care to tell, Padfoot?'

'Well, isn't it obvious, Moony? Look at him,' he told his friend, who looked on a very awkward-looking James.

Remus nodded. 'I see,' he said slowly.

'You see _what_, exactly?' Mrs Weasley snapped impatiently.

'Oh Merlin,' Rose sighed, giving up. 'He's called _James Potter_, OK? We're from the _future_. That SHOULD be enough clues for you all.'

Silence. The Order of the Phoenix stared at James much like they were ogling at them before. Ted would've laughed at how awkward James looked if the moment weren't so serious; the prankster shifted in his seat to occupy himself despite his obsession to receive attention, fiddling with his thumbs and even stared out of the occasional window before blurting, 'Yeah, well, she's Rose Weasley.'

'JAMES! For once in your LIFE, just SHUT –' she shouted, before catching up to the game to pass the torch around and pointing at a cocoa coloured cousin with her thumb. 'She's Roxanne Weasley.'

'She's Molly Weasley,' Roxanne said immediately. Everyone in the past expected her to point at the familiar Mrs Weasley, but instead she pointed at a 12-year-old girl with shoulder-length red hair, who just gave out a huff.

'Gosh, Rose,' she said. 'I can't believe you would continue this – but eh, why not. He's Fred Weasley.'

'FRED?!' exploded Mrs Weasley, frantically looking around the sea of younger redheads. 'I thought I told you to stay in your ROOM? This is a PRIVATE MEETING –'

'He's George's,' Dominique said in a hopeful, assuring voice.

'George's?' Mr Weasley said. 'What do you –?'

'We're all related to most of you,' Rose said impatiently.

'Should we just introduce ourselves without a heated argument?' Hugo said, silencing his sister. It took all Ted had in him not to refuse.

It wasn't that Ted was _ashamed _of his parents. He was proud of them, to die for a better future like that. But he didn't want to interrupt any build-up of relationship of any sort between them, or build any of his own with them; it'd make the goodbyes harder.

They were _war heroes_. And what was he?

A teacher-in-training at a school called Hogwarts.

Learning how to teach about stupid LOVE POTIONS AND WHAT-NOT.

Before he could fix the measures of the introductions, Snape said, 'You must tell us your parents, age, house and name. _Full _name.'

'Why?' Lily asked him. For a few moments Snape paused in astonishment, and only Ted knew why; Lily looked identical to her dead grandmother, who Severus had loved. He knew this because Harry had unintentionally blurted this out once when Ted was young. The Potter had inherited her mother's looks but her father's eyes – surely Snape's downfall. 'Why can't we just tell you our names?'

'Because... err...'

'TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!' Fred imitated, and everyone broke up into laughter, apart from Severus who looked unimpressed and an annoyed Rose.

'Don't laugh!' she scowled. 'No, it's rude! We're not here to stay, until we, um, figure a way out of here, but –'

'Yeah, Rose, remember? _No heated arguments_,' James teased, who received a punch on the arm as Rose went to sit down beside him. The others, apart from Ted and James who were already seated, sat down on one of the chairs while the Order gathered around the table standing up. Lucy toddled over to ask with an adorable look to sit on Teddy's lap, who he gladly agreed to. He needed someone to cling on to and take responsibility for, to occupy himself from his worries.

Yep. And that's how Teddy Lupin worked, folks.

'Who's first?' Dumbledore said as Victoire took her seat next to Ted's other side, clapping his hands and rubbing them. He was clearly excited.

'I might as well, since you know me already,' James said, standing up. 'I'm James Sirius Potter –'

'OH YES,' Sirius said, pumping his fist in the air and nodding. 'GO HARRY!'

'Padfoot, I mean this in the kindest way possible – shut up,' Remus said, patting his friend on the shoulder.

'Yeah, McGonagall says that it's not particularly reassuring to be called after two Marauders,' he said. Remus and Sirius laughed. 'I'm sixteen, and I'm Gryffindor.'

'This just gets better and better,' Sirius muttered to Remus, who just shook his head and tried to hide an amused smirk.

'Parents?' Snape said.

'You know what? I'll let Albus tell you that.'

'Albus?' Everyone turned to Dumbledore. His eyes twinkled as he shook his head and nodded his head at a red-faced Harry Potter clone, without the glasses.

'Yeah, thanks James,' he said, rolling his eyes. 'I'm Albus – well, Al – Severus Potter –'

'BEFORE,' Victoire shouted over the buzz of arguments, shooting up from her seat to her cousin's defence, 'you start, we know more things than most of you do. We know all of you better than you probably know each other, if you're in our lives or not.'

Ted smiled at her adoringly. She always was good at words and was always somehow heard, even when her voice was quiet. So that's why everyone from the past just stared at her as he gave her a squeeze of her hand with his.

Snape turned paler than he already was. '_Everything?_ Even –'

'Yes, Severus,' Ted said, knowing what he was meaning. Of course, he was thinking about Lily Evans, and Harry. Since he was the only one out of the kids who knew the most secret of details about his life, he had to answer. It was his determined need to know things that made Harry give in to his pleads. 'Even that.'

'At least he does,' Lily added. 'Dad says I'm not old enough yet to know the _exact _details but –'

'Lily, stop,' Hugo whispered and she stopped abruptly. Lily wasn't one to ramble like Rose, but she'd start to if she thought it'd make her look better than she actually was. Not in an arrogant way like James – it was just something she had grown to do, with the high expectations and all.

Ted smiled. Despite Lily's feistiness, she did open up to him at times. He was just someone all the kids seem to fall back on when their parents were away at work. It was reasonable, really. He _was _a trained teacher, and he was going to start teaching at Hogwarts the next year.

It was Bill who spoke first from the adults. 'Well that's cool,' he said to his future daughter with a grin. Victoire grinned the identical grin back, Mrs Weasley raising an eyebrow quizzically at the exchange.

'... and I'm twelve,' Albus continued after a few moments of silence. 'Obviously I'm Gryffindor –'

'Shush, Sirius.'

'And, um, my parents are Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley ...?' he said, scrunching up his nose as if preparing himself for the hundreds of questions to fire at him. Unfortunately, there was.

'Harry has TWO kids?'

'Wotcher, Albus! See, I _knew_ Ginny and Harry were made for each other! How long did it take for them to get together? Oh, and give me three Galleons, please, Molly.'

'HARRY MADE CHILDREN WITH GINNY?!'

'Oh, Arthur, Harry's going to be a part of our family! They _are_ married, aren't they?'

'Have I _killed _Harry yet?!'

'HEY,' Victoire silenced everyone at Bill's second and last question, standing up. '_You're _not exactly clean either. _Dad._'

Immediately, Bill face whitened as Victoire continued, 'I'm the 19-year-old graduated Gryffindor, Victoire Weasley.'

'Victoire?' Tonks said. 'Isn't that French?'

'Why, yes it is, thank you,' Victoire said humorously, grinning at her father's face, which was now even paler than before, his eyes wider.

'French, Bill?' Mrs Weasley said.

'Shut it, Mum,' he said.

'I'm the first of the Weasley's next generation, you know,' she continued. 'I look a _lot _like my mum. I'm one of the few Weasleys who hasn't got the red hair.'

Bill looked up from his feet and studied her properly. Silvery blonde hair, blue eyes, and beautiful looks. 'Oh Merlin,' he groaned in recognition, and everyone laughed.

''S okay, Dad,' she said, and he flinched at his new name. This made the future kids snigger. 'You only got two other children.'

'I do?'

'Yep,' Louis answered, standing up. He took a deep breath, saying it all at once: 'Louis Weasley, Ravenclaw, thirteen, Bill Weasley's and –'

'You know what? Let's keep that a secret,' Dom told everyone with a smirk. She didn't bother to stand up when she said, 'I'm Dominique, Dom for short, Weasley. Fifteen, and I'm Slytherin.'

The whole room fell quiet. All Teddy was bracing himself for was Dom and Rose's outbursts – Dom for being the Slytherin in question, and Rose for being in the presence of a judgemental family.

'OK, you guys obviously still have prejudices against Slytherin still,' Dom started, surprisingly calmly. 'But let me tell you why –'

'You're in Slytherin?' Sirius asked. 'But you're a Weasley!'

'Do you think I haven't been told this before?' she told him coolly, not even afraid to stare at him in the eyes as she spoke, gradually standing over the Black. 'Everyone's given me the "But-You're-A-Weasley" speech. In fact, _all _of you have given me this speech. Especially a certain Cannon fan.'

Rose shot Sirius a distasteful gaze throughout the whole of this.

'Slytherins used to and most often are pegged as being the bad guys,' she explained. 'But we're not. Not ... not anymore. Dad told me that I'm there because I just _cannot _give up. It's just not _possible_. This does NOT mean that I'm heartless, this does NOT mean I'm rich and snobby and a female version of a particular Malfoy that I refuse to mention.' She glared at even more at Sirius, whose face turned red in shame. 'You're, like, _thirty-years-old_.' James sniggered at her careful wording. 'Freaking GROW UP, dear PADFOOT, because I am NOT going to be moving houses anytime SOON.'

'Who knew Dominique Weasley would be telling my namesake off,' James muttered under his breath loud enough for everyone to hear. Those not under the Slytherin's glare laughed.

'Are we on good terms now?' Dom sighed, returning to her usual normal self. 'I don't like being like Rose. Eugh.'

'Hey!' Rose said automatically as Dom shuddered.

Bill coughed awkwardly. 'Yeah, okay. Yeah, I-I'm okay with that.'

The three siblings took their seats again when Lily piped up. 'I think my introduction ran a little late,' she said as she stood herself on the chair. 'I'm Lily Luna Potter.'

'I knew it,' Sirius said with a sad smile. 'Harry would have been an idiot not to call you that.'

'She looks like her, too,' Remus commented quietly.

Lily spotted Snape staring at her, but ignored him. 'Yeah, I'm not allowed to go to Hogwarts yet, 'cause I'm nine. But Mum's told me all about it. And I've even read the Map.'

'What map?' Molly asked as an eyebrow rose. 'I didn't know you were going abroad.'

She sighed dramatically, missing the joke. 'I'm not going _abroad_,' she said exasperatingly. 'James let me read it when he forgot to pack it in his suitcase last year. It has moving names and everything. Ugh, I should've brought it, you should see it –'

'I have it,' James said suddenly, fumbling around in his pocket before holding out a small, folded piece of parchment. When he finally unfolded it all, he got out his wand and said, '_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._'

'Good,' Sirius breathed. 'He hasn't lost it.'

'Why would Daddy lose it?' Lily said defensively. 'It was one of the most precious things he owned, before _someone _nicked it from his desk –'

'Dad's probably upstairs, you know,' Albus said with a smirk, knowing he got his way to silence them both. He always was the peacemaker, being in the middle – it was moments like this when he got awarded for his hard work.

'That reminds me!' Mrs Weasley shrieked. 'They'd been waiting in their room for a full hour now! I'll get them down, I'll only be a minute –'

She went to move, but loud protests burst from the kids. 'I _am _getting them,' Mrs Weasley said sternly, turning back to the direction of the door and stomping determinedly up the steps.

'Ginny and Harry are going to get a bit of a surprise,' Tonks said with an amused glint in her eyes. 'You guys just _have _to do your introductions again!'

'No,' Albus said as if this was the obvious mutual feeling of his siblings, but when he saw them smirking, he shook his head. 'NO, we're NOT going to do this, okay? Isn't Mum, like, trying to get over her fangirling phrase? It'll be really uncomfortable for her.'

'Deserves it for making me feel uncomfortable when in the presence of girls around her,' James said.

'Yeah, and for not letting me ride my broom yet,' Lily said in a tone that was frighteningly similar to that of Lily Evans's. The adults gave each other knowing glances, except for Tonks who laughed.

Ted managed to catch the eye of Dumbledore, who arched his eyebrows slightly and quirked up the corner of his mouth in a half-smile. It was like he understood Teddy, and wanted to know how he was feeling. He did get a peek at his memories, so maybe that was why.

But Ted had a nagging feeling that it wasn't just that, and that the guy knew more than he let show. His teaching skills kicked in and quirked up an eyebrow at him, but he just gave him a wink and asked, 'What do you children like to do, then?'

'I'm not a kid!' Lucy said for the first time in the particular meeting. Everyone but Ted seemed to have forgotten she was there.

'You're only three,' Molly pointed out tiredly. She'd obviously derived the bossy, know-it-all part of her personality from Percy. 'You're not exactly old.'

'Molly, please,' Victoire told her. 'Be nice to your sister. She's three, she doesn't know any better.'

It dawned on him that they looked like they were mother and father of the group, being older and giving knowing looks at the others. He grinned, glancing at Victoire's silver ring at the same time she was. He could picture actually having a family with her, growing crimpled, gnarled and cranky with her until the very end.

She looked at him and mirrored his expression. They hadn't told anyone about their night before they travelled back, and it amused them to keep it a secret. Of course, his godfather Harry knew; it was the only person Ted could confide his problems with besides from Victoire, and Harry gave him his mother's engagement ring, a little teary-eyed to Teddy's surprise.

Victoire mouthed to him, _Speak to you later, _to which he replied with a nod.

'Me and Molly are big on reading books,' Rose started. Everyone else amongst her cousins and sibling groaned outwardly. 'Especially Muggle ones. They are so much more imaginative, so much more fun to read than the boring _Hogwarts: A History _or whatever else my mum reads. Really, you should give it a try – _Hunger Games_, _Lord of the Rings_, _The Hobbit _... Luce, d'you remember _The Gruffalo_? You –'

'We're sort of a sport family,' James cut in. Sirius and some others leaned forward. 'Really big on Quidditch, apart from these two, and a certain aunt.'

Rose snorted. 'At least _our _brain capacity can at least handle other things other than a silly game.'

'It's not _"silly"_!' Lily defended. 'Mum played for the Holyhead team – d'you call that _silly_?'

'Ginny plays Quidditch professionally?' Arthur asked, pride overcoming his features. Lily nodded enthusiastically.

'She writes for the _Daily Prophet _ever since she had James, though,' Al answered.

'No,' Molly said, ignoring her grandfather – but not snottily; in a more getting-back-to-the-subject way. 'It's good that she achieved her dream and all. I just... don't see what the point in it is,' she reasoned, shrugging.

'Vic plays professionally as well, you know,' Louis said.

Bill leaned on the table in eagerness. 'Really? Who for?'

'Puddlemere,' Victoire answered. 'I only just got in, so I'm on the Reserved Team.'

'She's good, too!' Lucy said excitedly. 'She goes _really _fast!'

'Anyway, my mum has _perfectly _good reasons to disagree with Quidditch,' Rose said, holding her head high and ignoring Lucy's disappointed drop of her shoulders. Like her mother, she wouldn't give up until her opinion was heard so many times that people gave up on theirs and had to agree. But, despite her efforts, the Potter/Weasley clan were never the ones to give up.

'No she doesn't,' Fred scoffed.

'Fred, she _does_!'

'Rose, she _doesn't_,' James mimicked.

'Yes, she does!'

'No she doesn't, Rose,' Hugo said tiredly.

'_Yes she does_!'

'It's a reason to just wind up your dad,' Victoire breathed, her cheekbone resting on a palm. 'I don't think it's anything seri–'

Just then, Mrs Weasley burst open the door with her kids following curiously behind her. The future generation just stared at them in utter awe and disbelief, while their parents just studied all of them. Unsurprisingly, Harry's eyes lingered on James, Albus and Lily, who either looked like himself or his deceased parents, as Lily gave out a miniscule squeak in surprise. Rose gave out a blush that matched the colour of her wild hair when Hermione looked at her, trying to figure her out.

'Why, George, it's our third twin!' Fred said, gesturing at his slightly tanned future nephew, smiling. Ted glanced knowingly at George's kids, who were struggling to keep their grins plastered on their faces. It was hard to see their currently dead uncle being alive when it had caused so much pain for their father.

'No, it's not, Fred, dear,' Mrs Weasley assured. 'At least, I don't think so,' she added, throwing the fore-mentioned grandson a questioning look.

'Who are they?' Harry asked. As if on cue, Albus, James and Lily burst out laughing. Some of their cousins joined in after studying their hysterical behaviour and noticing how different he looked.

'He's not even my age yet!' James howled. 'And-and he's _smaller _than me!'

'H-his _voice_!' Lily said in-between gasps.

'James, shush!' Dom laughed, mocking Rose. 'We're trying to answer his _question_!'

'Oi!' Ginny snapped, to which the three instantly was silenced, and blushed at Harry's attention.

Hugo sniggered, voicing everyone's thought, 'That's weird.'

'What's weird?' Hermione asked. 'What's going on?'

'Many things are classed as _weird_, Miss Granger,' Dumbledore explained. 'Weirdly enough, these children –'

'I'm not a _child_!'

'Shush, Luce.'

'These children are from the future,' he continued, 'and play significant parts in your lives. You see, it has been proven that many of these may be your upcoming children.'

'We were in the middle of introductions, actually,' Remus said lightly like he was asking about the weather, ignoring the astonished faces they were giving him. 'Shall we start again?'

'This is going to be a good show,' Sirius muttered.

'Let's do it randomly,' Tonks said excitingly. 'So the ones who got left out last time don't feel like they have an advantage. I'll pick first, shall I?' Dumbledore nodded. For a fleeting moment Ted thought she was going to say him, but she pointed at Lucy instead.

Meanwhile, Lucy was looking around the room, not noticing the attention until Ted nudged her, amused. 'You need to tell them about yourself, Luce,' he chuckled quietly in her ear.

'Me?' she asked.

'Yeah,' he said excitedly, letting go of Victoire's hand and wrapping his arms around the girl. She looked at him funnily as his eyes turned into a light shade of pink, her favourite colour, and she giggled. 'Just about you.'

'Okay.' She took a deep breath. 'I'm Lucy Weasley. I'm three years old, nearly four. And I like to play dolls, but I don't like those creepy ones. They scare me,' she added, and everyone nodded understandingly as Harry, Hermione, Ron, the twins and Ginny took their seats. 'And I don't like my hair. The colour brown is really boring.'

Roxanne nodded, relating to it to some extent. She had wild curls with tints of red, and always complained about how it was unmanageable; often she would talk to Hermione and Rose, who had turned out to be very understanding.

'I have a big sister called Molly,' Lucy continued, 'and, uh... what else, Teddy?' She turned her head expectantly at Ted, who laughed at her innocence.

Molly rolled her eyes. 'Our parents are Percy and Audrey Weasley.'

'She's Percy's?' Ron said, surprised. 'But she's too cute!'

'He comes back eventually,' Ted assured them. Mrs Weasley beamed, her shoulders dropping, relieved.

'I'm Molly, by the way, named after you,' Molly chirped, giving a winning smile at her grandmother. 'I'm twelve, from Hufflepuff.'

'Why Hufflepuff?' Ron asked a little too loudly, not noticing Dom's defensive glare.

'Bad move, mate,' Sirius muttered.

'Not all of us are that ... _confident_, if you will, as the others in the family are,' she explained with a kind smile. 'Besides, Hufflepuffs rule.'

'YEAH!' Tonks agreed, grinning, leaning across the table to give her a high-five. Everyone laughed.

'On the contrary, why don't you pick the next, Mr Weasley?' Dumbledore told him.

'Okay,' he said, pointing at a very baffled-looking Hugo.

'Oh, jeez,' Albus said in his hand. 'This is awkward.'

'Why is it –?' Ginny started, but the answer dawned on her before she said anything else, and laughed out-right.

'What?' Ron said, annoyed.

Hermione looked at the boy. Bushy brown hair, blue eyes, tall, freckly ... 'Oh my goodness!' she gasped. Even Ginny looked startled at her sudden outburst, obviously not going as far as to find out who the mother was. 'You're – he – it's just – _OH MY GOD _...'

'Haha!' Ginny said, whilst her brothers (especially Ron) and family were staring at her wildly. 'This is _priceless_!'

'You'll see in a minute,' James muttered so only Teddy could hear, and Ted grinned at how awkward he was feeling.

'What is?' Harry asked, but Hermione was too flabbergasted to even speak a single word.

'Wow,' George said.

'She's finally quiet,' his twin murmured.

'It's still rare now,' Hugo said absent-mindedly, and Hermione choked.

'I think,' Dumbledore said, 'for the rest of the people in this room, may I ask – who are your parents?'

'I'm Hugo Weasley,' he started, blue meeting blue from across the table. 'It may become a shock to you, and please don't kill me, but, err ... hey Dad.'

Ron stared at him, wide eyed at the boy, who had taken a sudden interest in his shoes. 'You're my son?' he asked, but came out more as, 'Oh're y on?'

His brothers seemed to catch on to Hermione's outburst, since they started to snigger. 'Shut UP,' Hermione snapped. 'It's not HIS fault –'

'Oh yes it is,' Fred – from the future – said, nodding. After this, nobody could withdraw anymore and erupted in laughter, besides from a very puzzled Ron, a flabbergasted Hermione and an embarrassed Hugo.

'What makes it so funny?' Ron defended. 'Nobody laughed when Lucy said anything –'

'Sorry to break it to you, dear Uncle,' James said. 'But Hermione is your wife.'

'FF-WHAT?!' Ron was standing up outrageously as if it was James's fault it happened in the first place. 'BLOODY _HELL_!'

'Hey, I'm just stating facts.'

'If it makes you feel any better,' Dom said, 'Hugo's a Gryffindor.'

'I think you're missing the point here!' Hermione shrieked, blushing furiously. 'I – him – just ... _WHAT!_'

'Molly,' Tonks turned to Mrs Weasley, holding out a hand with a grin. 'I think you'll find that's another three Galleons.'

'Right, stop!' Rose said suddenly, standing up. 'I'll put you two out of your confounded misery; I'm Rose Weasley, your eldest and only daughter. I'm a Ravenclaw. I have both your hair mixed, as you can see.' She turned her head so they could see the thick singular braid that trailed down until the very bottom of her neck. 'It's NOT nice, okay? So _thanks _for that. Also, can I say that I am really sorry for breaking your china set in the future, Mum, but just so you know Hugo is the clumsy one –'

'I am NOT –'

' – and I'm sorry for stealing most of your books, but what can you really do when you love them so much? Have to say, though, Lord of the Rings is my favourite, 'cause I mean, really,' she rolled her eyes. 'Gandalf is an epic genius. No offence, Dumbledore, sir.'

Dumbledore just shrugged, but Harry covered his laugh with a cough when he realised his headmaster was pretty offended.

'Quidditch really isn't my area of expertise, but I love potions. Especially the Polyjuice, that one is truly astonishing –'

'Rose,' Louis said. 'They needed an introduction, not you life story.'

'No, no,' Hermione said, a small smile spreading across her face while Ron was still trying to comprehend the information. 'It's ... nice. Thank you, Rose.'

Rose smiled back just as brightly as she and her brother sat back down. 'I'll choose next,' Ginny volunteered. It made Mrs Weasley smile at how relaxed her daughter was with these people in the room. 'What about you?'

Roxanne grinned. 'Okay. This is going to be hilarious,' she said, nudging her brother. 'I'm the oh-so-legendary fourteen-year-old Gryffindor –'

'She's so modest,' James gushed.

She rolled her eyes. 'OK. I'm Roxanne. Hate the name Roxy, so don't even try. My dad's George.'

'Really?' Fred the First said, intrigued. 'Who may be the lucky woman?'

'Angelina Johnson.'

'But I'M dating her!' he said, shocked.

'Well, obviously I'm the better of us two,' George boasted mockingly. His twin just took it in his stride and laughed.

'I'm Fred,' Fred II told them, 'the Second. It's dead confusing now that there are two Freds,' he lied (with no pun intended), not bearing to tell them the truth. Luckily, thanks to his pranks with James, he had perfected the art of lying convincingly. 'I'm a sixth-year Gryffindor.'

'It's hard to believe, since he's so mature and responsible,' Dom added sarcastically.

'Nah, really, I'm honoured,' Fred told his twin, his hand on his heart.

'I'll pick,' Mrs Weasley announced, rolling her eyes at the two. 'Just for the purposes to remind the others ...' She pointed at Victoire, who was clearly the most confident of the three.

'I'm Victoire Weasley,' she repeated. 'I'm nineteen, use-to-be Gryffindor, and I look more like my mum than my dad.'

'Figures,' Ron shrugged.

'My dad's Bill,' she said, who scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. 'And I've got a brother and sister, Louis –' she gestured at her brother, who waved, 'and Dominique.'

'Very formal, Vic,' Dom commented but smiled anyway.

'You've got a ring,' Hermione noticed. 'Are you –?'

'Yeah, but –'

'You're ENGAGED?!' Rose screeched before anyone else could jump in. 'You're _nineteen_ –'

'You're twelve, but you still seem pretty interested in Scorpius,' Ted argued, Victoire nodding in agreement as Rose blushed, taking a sudden interest in her dolly shoes.

'Are you pregnant?' Louis asked.

'OH MY GOD, YOU'RE PREGNANT?!' Rose screeched.

'NO! Rose, I'm not freaking PREGNANT,' Vic countered equally as loudly. The more immature ones in the room – AKA Ron, Louis, the twins, Fred, Roxanne, Fred II, Dom, Sirius, Tonks, Lily, James and to Victoire's surprise, Ted – couldn't keep themselves from laughing.

'Okay, okay, fine,' Louis. 'You're not pregnant. But just in case you are –'

'LOUIS!'

'Who got down on one knee, then?' Dom asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

'Oh, um ...' Victoire was turning bright red, turning to Hermione. 'Thanks _A LOT_, Aunt 'Mione. Really, you have to notice _now_ when you didn't even say a single _word _before!'

'C'mon, Vic!' Lily cheered. 'You can tell us!'

'Yeah, we won't tell anyone,' James said with a mischievous grin.

'Please do,' Bill said sternly, crossing his arms around his chest.

Teddy couldn't take it anymore. 'I did,' he said.

'I KNEW IT!' Albus beamed. 'It was inevitable!'

Roxanne was grinning at the Metamorphagus in what seemed in victory. 'I knew it, from the MOMENT you gave her flowers on her fifth birthday, that you guys would marry someday!'

'Yeah, along with the predicament that you guys will have fourteen babies, three of which would be conjoined triplets,' James said.

'And that you'd get divorced,' Fred added.

'AND THEN YOU'LL REALISE HOW MUCH OF AN ARSE YOU BOTH WERE, AND THEN GET REUNITED ON A BEACH WITH YOUR HAIR GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND JOGGING REALLY, REALLY SLOW LIKE ON THOSE MUGGLE MOVIES,' Roxanne corrected loudly. 'AND THEN YOU'LL GET MARRIED AGAIN.'

'With another fourteen babies.'

'_BEAUTIFUL _fourteen babies.'

Victoire, being too shocked at her cousins to interrupt, found her voice. 'I'm not having fourteen bloody babies!'

'OH YES YOU ARE, MISSY.' Roxanne attempted to stare her down, but failed and laughed.

While everyone else was bubbling with joy, Victoire and Ted was cringing to see what Bill's reaction was. But all he did was give a shrug. 'I still don't know anything bad about you,' he said. The two let out a breath of air and gave each other a relieved smile. Moody scoffed, muttering, _'Constant vigilance_.'

Lily, noticing the subject about to appear, blurted, 'I'm Lily Luna Potter.' She squeezed shut her eyes so she wouldn't see her parent's faces. 'I'm nine, and I want to be like my mum to play Quidditch.'

'Except she doesn't let you,' Albus muttered.

In an instant, she opened her eyes to face her brother, not daring to even glance at her father, who was staring at the table, wide-eyed and speechless. 'I only have to wait a couple of weeks, Al!' she argued. 'Not long until my birthday, is it? The 28th of –'

'Why doesn't she let you?' Ginny asked. The three just stared at her, bewildered, as everyone laughed. Snape's lips curled upwards into a sort-of smile, although it mostly went unnoticed.

'I don't know,' she shrugged, pretending to be clueless.

Albus shook his head. 'She has a terrible mother,' he acted. Although he wasn't the Prankster Potter, it didn't mean he couldn't have fun. 'Very cruel, she is. Doesn't even let her set _foot _on a Quidditch pitch ...'

'She scares away every single living creature set foot on human earth,' James joined in. 'Honestly, it's a miracle how poor Lily-Billy has managed to stay with the monster for this long ...'

'It's pure torture,' Lily smirked. 'And now she doesn't let me ride a broom!'

'I think she feeds on dead corpses at night,' Fred II said. 'The other day I saw a lifeless Uncle Harry in the cupboard ... unlucky old man ...'

'I don't know what he saw in her,' Albus sighed, shaking his head. 'It's a hard life Lily leads.'

'Oh c'mon,' Rose said, though she was trying to bite back a laugh. 'Don't tease her.'

'But it's true!' Lily argued.

'Yeah,' chimed James. 'Have you _seen _her in a bikini?'

Clear horror was written all over Bill's face, but Ginny rolled her eyes, ignoring her brother's expression, sitting up and leaning on the table. 'So why doesn't she let you?' she repeated.

Lily wanted to stop the teasing so she could see the reaction – Ted could see it in her eyes. 'You tell _me_,' she scoffed. Certainly, Lily had Ginny's flare, since an average nine year-old would never be quite as sassy.

It was Sirius who got it first. 'You are terrible children,' he chuckling.

She grinned, delivering the bombshell: 'I just needed to catch some revenge on my mum.'

Harry turned to Ginny in utter disbelief, as her face turned as red as her hair. 'HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED,' speculated Fred II in a low voice, and everyone was laughing louder.

'HARRY!' Ron said outrageously. 'You – my sister – it's – n- NO!'

'Oh, stop it, Ronald,' Hermione scowled. 'It's not like you went over _your _boundaries.'

'GO MUM!' cheered Hugo a bit over-enthusiastically, making his mother flinch at the new name but smile all the same.

'So,' Remus said after everyone died down. 'Only one left.' He turned his amber gaze onto Teddy, who almost wanted to just ... collapse and die, basically. Yeah, that sounded _much better _than to say, "Hey, how you doin'? I'm Teddy Lupin, and I'm your son. Oh, and by the way, _Nymphadora Tonks _is my mother. And you both are dead."

Honestly, how was he a Gryffindor? He was cowering away at something he hadn't even started.

'I'm Ted,' he said plainly, trying everything he had in him not to show his anxiety. 'I'm twenty, and I uh ... teach at Hogwarts next year.'

'Really?' Dumbledore said, interested. He didn't go into his thoughts as far as that. 'What do you teach?'

'Defence Against the Dark Arts,' he answered, thankful for the distraction. 'I have to teach about all of you guys.'

'Doing what?' Mad-Eye asked gruffly.

'LOADS of stuff,' James answered. 'I mean, you lot are BADASS.'

'Like, someone in this room kills the darkest lord in all eternity,' Al said, letting out a cough. 'No names, Harry.'

'And someone in this room made a joke about being holy when he had his ear blasted off,' Roxanne smirked at her dad, who fingered his ear nervously.

'And someone in this room shows Bellatrix Lestrange up by refusing to say anything,' Rose said proudly, looking at the ceiling to avoid curious gazes. 'But that's it. Let's stop telling you stuff about the future.'

'When Ted told us about the job we all thought it was weird,' Hugo commented, as soon as he blurted it out Ted could tell he wanted to face-palm himself.

'Why?' Remus said.

'My father,' Ted told him, his face expressionless. 'He taught D.A.D.A once –'

'– but he retired,' Victoire interrupted quickly. 'At a nice old age, very peaceful ... told us the job wasn't really for him in the first place –'

Despite the seriousness of the situation, he laughed. 'Yes it was.'

'_No _it wasn't.'

'It was the _perfect_ job!'

'_No it wasn't_,' Rose backed up Vic sternly, though everyone could see it was to cover up a false story.

'Wait, what?' Albus said in an offended high pitch. He coughed and said in a too-low tone, 'I mean, it was. I'd have loved to be taught by him.'

'Yeah!' Lilly agreed with a proud nod. 'He'd be awesome.'

'Who is he?' Sirius said, an eyebrow raised. 'You lot talk like he's a god.'

'He is!' Roxanne started with an enthusiastic grin, but received a slap with the back of a hand on the arm by her brother. 'Just saying ...'

At this, Ted had enough. He stood up, setting Lucy aside him, and coughed for everyone's attention. He began to acknowledge how McGonagall would have felt in the summer teacher's meeting when all the eyes focused on him. 'I'm a Metamorphagus,' he clarified, not stopping for the questions. 'So I'm just going to _show _you who my parents are, alright?'

'Ted, no, they're not ready yet –' Victoire protested, but he already felt himself morphing. Closing his eyes, he willed his pointed turquoise to change into a thick brown, and his eyes to his normal shade of amber. His lips remained the same; his signature smirk was what drove Vic up the wall, and thankfully it was naturally his.

He heard gasps and murmurs and a disbelieving "no", and he hated it. He'd always loved attention, but he didn't like the way people thought he wasn't real. He should've expected this. A 34 werewolf and a 20-year-old Metamorphagus having a son weren't exactly the normal pair. Perfect, but not normal.

He felt a hand grip his by his side, and opened his eyes down at little Lucy. She looked up at him, concerned, and he couldn't help but smile at her. 'I know this is a shock to most of you,' he said quietly, not focusing on any one besides the floor and Luce. He knew that even most of the future clan of Weasleys/Potters never even saw his true form, except from Harry and Victoire. 'But it's okay. I'm not a werewolf. I just get a little cranky once a month.'

Willing himself to look up, he studied everyone's faces. Vic was giving him a reassuring smile. James stared at him, open-mouthed. Louis was looking as if he could get used to the look. Dom's face was expressionless, as was Albus's and Hugo's and Snape's. Lily bit her lip regretfully like it was her fault he was in the situation. Rose's would've been priceless given the different circumstance. Molly's was sympathetic.

Tonks looked as if she couldn't figure out whether he was a good thing or a bad thing, making a knot tie in his stomach. Ron clearly didn't know what to make of the situation. Hermione's eyebrows were slightly crossed in thought. Harry looked at him as if he had three heads. With that, he refocused his vision back to the table, not able to look at anyone else.

'Can I go to the toilet, please?' Lucy asked him innocently. A proud flare bubbled in his stomach as he refocused on the little girl. Although she was only three, she seemed to ask a lot of questions to get to know people and gain a lot of knowledge about what times she wasn't supposed to talk, what times she had to comfort, what times she needed to say something silly to make the room a bit lighter. Now, Ted realised, she knew when she needed to bail Ted out.

'Of course.'

'I can show her the toilet –' Molly started, but he was already out of the room, dragging a rather sheepish Lucy out of the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**I know this is shorter than last time, but next chapter's going to be long again. Hopefully. I haven't finished Chapter Three so yeah!**

**Thanks for the reviews :3**

* * *

As soon as the two left the room, the whole room was speechless, except from a fuming Victoire. Clenching her fists, she slowly stood up much like her sister did before, but instead of glaring she studied her cousins and siblings with disappointment.

'You guys need to know how hard for him it is,' she explained quietly, ignoring the confused looks from the unknowing past people. 'For him to ... to do what he did. You've never seen him like that, have you?'

It was Albus who answered. 'No,' he said. 'Only when he was younger, but –'

'Yeah, well, you didn't have to STARE at him, did you?' she replied, her voice gradually getting louder. 'Now I'm going to the "_TOILET_", so I can actually give him _FAMILY SUPPORT_, in case you _DIDN'T KNOW. _Oh, you know, 'cause I'm maybe going to be his _wife soon_, and that I may actually be A GOOD PERSON TO MY TO-BE _HUSBAND_!'

And with that, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door after her.

'Was that his first time?' Tonks asked in an almost-whisper. 'To, you know-?'

'Yeah,' Lily answered sadly. 'I've never seen him look that natural. Only Dad has. And Vic, of course.'

'Can he control -?'

'Mostly,' Al told the Metamorphagus. 'Before he struggled with it, like when he got embarrassed his hair would turn purple, and when he was angry his eyes would turn in this really weird yellow colour.'

'It wasn't freaky,' Molly assured, looking at everyone's concerned faces, 'or something to be worried about. It was just how Ted was. But now, he's like you, Tonks.' The Weasley smiled at her in support. 'When he gets upset, it turns into the usual Black brown hair.'

Tonks looked as if she was starting to warm up to the idea, whereas Remus only stared at the wall in shock. 'Are you going to go see him or _what_?' James snapped impatiently at the two, making the werewolf come out of his trance; his tone was so identical to Prongs's, it almost made him smile. In fact, it made Sirius laugh. 'He's in a moral crisis! I know he's twenty and quite manageable to take care of himself, but – _Merlin_, you're not scared of _Ted_, are you?'

_-x-_

'Teddy?' Lucy's small voice said from below him, her hand squeezing his large one. 'You do know that I don't really _need _a wee, don't you?'

''Course, Luce,' he answered, their footsteps echoing on the floorboards. The house was becoming more empty and gloomy the more they searched for the loo. Ted had been in the House of Black before – only once, though, when Harry was searching for a few of Sirius's things. Even then it was at least a little lighter than it was now. 'Thanks for doing what you did. You're very smart, you know?'

Her smile could be seen even through the dark. ''Course, Ted,' she imitated his tone in a low pitch, and despite the situation he laughed. 'You know, you look nice without the blue hair. Not that I don't like your blue hair,' she added when he consciously ran a hand through his hair. 'Oh, here's the toilet.'

As they turned to go left into an opened door, they heard fast, light footsteps coming from behind. He searched for his wand, almost swearing out loud when he remembered it was in his father's hands.

'It's okay, it's me!' Victoire's breathless voice said, and he smiled. When she came close, she immediately jumped up to his lips, both of them melting into the kiss. '_Eeeew_,' Lucy said loudly, making them break away.

'Are you alright?' he asked.

'Why're you asking me? Are _you _alright?' She stroked his cheeks with her hands as he placed his on her hips, her pools of blue searching his amber ones. 'I know that it was difficult in there. I'm not going to lie – they didn't take it well.'

His eyes dropped to the floor. 'I did think they wouldn't be that accepting.'

'Remus is the worst,' she whispered. 'Your mum is beginning to like the idea of you, I think.' He smiled a little at his bubbly mother. 'Your dad is probably thinking about the pros and cons about having a baby. Like he always did.'

He sighed, his dark hair seeming to turn even darker. He looked at Lucy, stepping away from a concerned Victoire and focusing on the young girl. 'Do you want to go on the loo while we're here?'

'Might as well,' Lucy said, shrugging. Walking into the said room, she added argumentatively, 'But don't come in!'

'Don't close the door, Luce,' Vic warned. 'Might be a Boggart or something in there.'

'Just don't look,' she huffed. Ted could've sworn she muttered, '_Perverts_,' and he guffawed at her tactful language.

He couldn't really blameher, as such. Her cousins didn't have the cleanest of mouths.

'I'm sorry, Ted,' Vic said as she hooked her arms around his neck, her eyes looking straight in his, 'about all of this mess. They shouldn't have reacted the way they did.' She scrunched up her nose and looked to the floor. 'Though I _did_ tell you not to do it. Stupid Gryffindor courage of yours, it can be so troubling sometimes –'

'You're a Gryffindor too,' he argued.

'Oh, we all know I should've been a Hufflepuff,' she said off-handedly.

He raised his eyebrows. 'You were great in Gryff –'

'Yeah, as a _Gryffinwhore_,' she said, rolling her eyes, and they laughed at the bittersweet memories of trying to upstage the insensitive prats.

'And a Metasnotagus,' he added.

'Why are you talking about Gryffinwhores and Metasnotaguses?' They jumped at Lucy's innocent voice from the bathroom beside them, momentarily forgetting the three-year-old's presence.

To add to their jumpy instincts, a sudden shout of '_TED IS NOT A SCARY WEREWOLF-METAMORPHAGUS, YOU INSENSITIVE LITTLE PRAT!_' – how did Lily get away with using that language, anyway? His grandmother wouldn't stop droning on about _his _colourful words – followed by a loud slap on the back of the head and a riot of yells and yelps that were far more familiar to Ted than it really should be.

All Lucy did was giggle.

'Luce, you finished?' Ted called.

He heard the little girl give a sassy tired sigh and the zip of her summer dress, before the youngest Weasley stepped out from the door. 'Now I am,' she said. 'You just _rushed _me ...'

People often thought it was miraculous that Lucy, the three-year-old sass-master and troublemaker – when needed, of course, not at all like James – could ever be related to such a lover of rules and education like Percy Weasley. But it was only the Weasley clan knew why Lucy was like she was: _Audrey_.

Audrey Weasley wasn't _that _bad when it came to following rules, but it was as if she lived to annoy her husband. Ted always liked to think that Percy kind of liked her constant teasing, since he struggled to keep a serious, strict face when telling her off. She was like a third child and provoked winding up the notorious Percy Wealsey.

The only thing that Lucy _hadn't _inherited from her mother was her constant, unneeded obsession with _talking_.

'Mummy said that Barbie dolls are rubbish,' Lucy droned on as they walked down the hall, back the way they came, skipping and tugging on Vic's hand. 'But I don't think so. She has such pretty hair and eyes – much like Al's friend, Amber Bell, remember? OH! No, Barbie looks more like YOU, Victoire! With the blue eyes and blonde hair and her looking so beautiful and everything. I wish I didn't get everything from Mum, brown hair isn't _that_ nice –'

Vic faked a gasp. 'But I _love _your hair!' she gushed.

'Don't be silly,' Lucy said with a blush and a waft of her hand.

A bubble of laughter came from Victoire's mouth, but it was drowned out by the typical Weasley fury battle that was coming from the dining room. When they neared the door, Ted realised that the shouts were even louder than the usual family spouts, and he hadn't realised that his strides were becoming more fast-paced and bigger until he burst open the door.

He ignored his nervousness, feeling a wave of anger come through him as he looked at the crowd of red-faced redheads and furious past members, who were still arguing despite his rather loud and dramatic entrance.

'You DO NOT know Ted at all, you SLIMY GREASY-HAIRED _GIT_!...'

'We don't even KNOW this Teddy _much_. Keyword – _much_.'

'REMUS, HE IS YOUR _KID_, WHY DO YOU CARE WHETHER HE'S NOT LIKED IN THE FREAKING _WIZARDING COMMUNITY?! _HE _LOVES _YOU!'

Humiliating words, Roxanne.

'ACCEPT WHO HE _IS_!'

'Vic was RIGHT! You really _are _horrible people!'

'SHE'S YOUR _DAUGHTER_, RONALD!'

'Oh yeah. BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!'

'YES IT _DOES_, RONALD!'

'Remus, _please _stop being ASHAMED of yourself! I'm not _pregnant _yet, am I? So WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!'

Wow. Maybe he was more like his mother than he thought.

'There are many problems, Dora ...'

'... JAMES, stop being mean to _SNAPE_ AND START BACKING UP TEDDY HERE, HE IS OBVIOUSLY OUR TOP PRIORITY RIGHT NOW!'

'WELL IT'S NOT _MY _FAULT THAT HE'S A BLOODY _GIT_, LILY!'

'Shut up, _POTTER_.'

'OI, SNIVELLUS! STOP PESTERING THE POTTERS!'

'PESTERING THE POTTERS, EH?'

This was trying to teach students who spat spit-wads at other people in a rowdy class times a hundred.

Then he knew what he was going to do in an instant.

HELL YEAH.

THE TEACHER'S _PERFECTED RANT OF FURY_.

'_HEY!_' he roared, and to his pleasure, everyone silenced, looking at him with wide-eyed. Sirius was in mid-swing for a punch at Snape, and James had a look that resembled a deer caught in headlights. Roxanne's jaw dropped, along with her brother, as everyone else's cheeks decorated with an embarrassing shade of red. For once, he was grateful to have a whole week of being educated on how to make students and alike feel guilty or truly frightened towards their teachers. It was a useful skill, actually. 'For an argument that's supposedly about me, I find it frankly quite ODD that nobody has noticed me standing in the room for the last FIVE MINUTES.'

In any other situation, their faces would've been priceless. But he continued:

'And it's ALSO nice to know that _nobody _thought about thinking about what _I _thought about the _SITUATION_, which is that I don't really think that being a werewolf is something to be ashamed of, or guilty about, because it isn't even anyone's FAULT about being a WEREWOLF IN THE FIRST PLACE!'

He was so good at this.

'And I have _no idea _how this argument even started, because, NO, I am NOT a "_scary werewolf-_ METAMORPHAGUS"! I think I CLEARLY showed everyone that I am _STRICTLY_ A METAMORPHAGUS!'

Study Teddy Lupin's skills, Snape. Learn A LOT.

'So STOP being horrible to your future CHILDREN, _RON WEASLEY_ _–_' the mentioned Weasley winced at his tone, 'And STOP being disrespectful to your PARENTS just because they don't listen to the apparent _PRIORITY_.'

Lily's cheeks flushed.

'And STOP being an absolute PRAT to the future HEROES that just maybe, _just maybe_, will SAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BLOODY _LIVES_ SOON!'

James's head bowed.

'And STOP thinking that just because some people in this room are ancestors to a certain SHOOL RIVAL it immediately means they're a clone of the FORE-MENTIONED SHOOL RIVAL.'

Harry and James raised an eyebrow as if to say, "YEAAAH!" as Sirius's wore an expression that clearly stated, "HAH!"

Severus's face remained expressionless.

'And STOP thinking that just because I said something to an ENEMY OF YOURS that shouldn't even _be _an _ENEMY OF YOURS_ does NOT mean you're in the CLEAR!'

Sirius shrugged, but Ted could tell he was embarrassed by being told off by someone half his age.

Did his eyes deceive him, or did he just make a MARAUDER FEEL GUILTY?!

_HELL YES!_

'And please don't embarrass me, Roxanne, 'cause I think I'm capable of doing that myself, thanks.' Roxanne bit her lip as she smiled at what must've been an embarrassing memory of Ted's, and he refrained himself from blushing beetroot red. 'And James, don't be a prat to someone you don't really know.'

'OI! I know SNA –'

'- And STOP thinking that just because you're a WEREWOLF it immediately means that you're a FAILURE in EVERYTHING YOU DO,' he continued, facing his father, his volume rising once again, 'because LOOK AT ME! I AM _TELLING YOU OFF_!'

Lucy giggled from outside the hall, but nobody seemed to notice.

'As far as I'm aware, you're one of the best wizards in history,' he told his father, his eyes and voice softening. The werewolf smiled weakly. 'And I don't _care _what kind of creature you are. That goes for everybody in this room.'

'_Almost_ everybody,' James coughed, glancing at a glaring Severus Snape. Ted didn't bother going into another speech; his throat hurt, and he decided to sit down from the exhaustion of yelling.

Lily grinned at him. 'Uh, Teds?'

'Hm?'

'Your hair is even redder than mine.'

'Ah.' He squeezed his eyes and he felt his familiar turquoise hair morph back onto his scalp. He relaxed into his chair, smirking at his achievements he had just made in the last few minutes. 'Thanks, Lils.'

'Eyes are red too, mate,' James grunted.

'Sorted.'

'And your nose. It's sort of like a toucan's,' Al said.

'Thanks for the truthfulness.'

'Don't mention it.'

* * *

**Just felt like I needed the young innocence of Lucy ... and Ted's teaching side xD**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again for ze reviews! :) And, um, this chapter's sort of random. Just a warning :P**

* * *

'Sorry Ted,' Rose breathed first. Everyone expected him to flutter open his eyes but he sat there contently, almost as if he was asleep. They were waiting for him to say something to trigger a conversation, but the Metamorphagus looked smugly pleased. 'For giving my dad what he deserves.'

'Oi –!'

'Ronald, don't start,' Hermione hushed him.

Hugo laughed at the banter. 'You know, nothing will change.'

'Nothing changes?' Harry asked, and the future folks gave each other anxious looks. 'Everyone is still –'

Before he could continue, a loud, '_HELL NO!_' shook the house, and Ted swore that it could've been heard from a mile radius, consequently making Mrs Black's howls of disapproval struck up instantly. Ted's eyes opened and met with the identical ones of his father, who held out Ted's wand. All of the generations got out their wands – in Ted's case, took his gratefully – except from a disappointed Lily and Hugo, who was shrugging his shoulders in a _"What can ya do?"_ way.

'Sirius, that sounds –' Remus started.

'You're pretty!' Lucy's innocent voice chirped, silencing the rumble of yells in the hall so the whole building was quiet – except from Mrs Black, who was ranting on about blood-traitors, mutants, half-breeds and Mudbloods.

'Lucy,' Molly gasped, gripping Louis's hand worriedly. 'Vic and Lucy are still out there ...'

'Merlin, if everyone's gonna stand here,' James sighed, rolling his eyes and stomping his way out of the door. His family protested but he went out anyway, his heavy footsteps being heard for a couple of moments until it stopped. 'MERLIN'S FLUFFY RED SOCKS, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOT DOING HERE?!'

Ted stumbled out of the dining room at his shocked loud question, his wand held out confidently in front of him. 'Ted, now might be the time to unleash your proper teacher rant,' Victoire's nervous voice called out from down the hall.

He left the others to fend Mrs Black's screams, and after a minute or two he heard her quieten. Hopefully whoever was in the house had enough sense to be silent – or at least, stealthy. Jogging, he turned a corner, widening his eyes at the scene that unfolded in front of him as he skidded to a halt.

A fat kid with annoyingly teary eyes, a redhead that resembled Lily, a complete clone of James, a nearly-collapsing James, a tall sandy-haired guy with scratches all over himself and an extremely arrogant, undoubtedly good-looking younger version of –

'SIRIUS ORION BLACK!' the redheaded girl shrieked at the supposed Sirius much like Lily did at her brothers, and Mrs Black played up again (_"Merlin, just shut UP!" _Sirius's yelled exasperatedly). All the arrogant kid did was shrink back in cowardice. 'AND _YOU_!' the James Clone stood behind Sirius, wearing the typical "deer-caught-in-headlights" that was famously James's. 'WHAT HAVE YOU TWO BLOODY DONE _NOW_?!'

'Hello there,' Ted said unsurely, awkwardly holding up a hand in greeting, all of them turning their attention, the redhead still breathing heavy, angry breaths. 'Right. Um,' he began, glancing at Victoire who looked just as clueless as he did. He turned his head around back to the hallway. 'DOES ANYONE ELSE MIND COMING DOWN AND MAKE SENSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, PLEASE?'

'So professional, Ted,' James grunted. His identical twin covered his snigger with a cough, which made James widen his eyes and choke at him.

'What's wro–' Tonks speeded down the hall, making a portrait knock over in the process and shrieked. 'SORRY SIRIUS!' she shouted, staring at the broken glass regrettably.

''S okay,' the arrogant guy nodded. She snapped her head back to him, and the colour from her face drained, her dark eyes searching the group as if she didn't quite believe what was happening. 'Why are we in – OH MERLIN, WAS THAT MY MOTHER SHOUTING?!'

'Your mum is dead in a portrait and always wants to annoy us by starting to scream at people who aren't purebloods,' Victoire told him. He ignored the bothersome part of the portrait and only seemed to focus on the first four words of her sentence, pumping both his fists in the air and wearing a victorious expression.

'That's not very nice to your mother,' Lucy observed.

'I agree,' the redheaded girl said, crossing her arms and throwing a look of utter disgust at the James Clone and Sirius, standing up.

'Okay,' Tonks coughed. 'This is SO weird but, um ... I'm Tonks.'

'Tonks?' the sandy haired guy asked in recognition. Her eyes lingered on him for a minute with an emotion Ted couldn't place before returning to her usual hip demeanour. 'Like Ted Tonks?'

'_Yes_!' she nodded, her eyes brightening, pointing approvingly at him with her wand, glad that she was getting somewhere. He looked at it nervously, before she realised what she was pointing at him with and put it back in her pocket. 'I'm his daughter, Nymphadora. Strictly Tonks, though, so please –'

'Dora?' Sirius interrupted, his eyebrows crossing. 'But you're just a –'

'A five-year-old psycho, yes, that's _me_!' she grinned at Sirius, who looked back at her, confused. 'So how old are you people exactly? Teddy, put your wand down,' she added, knitting her eyebrows at Ted and he obeyed, smiling to himself.

She sounded like a mother then.

'We're all sixteen,' the "James Clone" answered. 'And can I just ask – why does he look like me?'

'Yeah, I was going to ask the same question,' James butted in, staring at the boy's hand that was pointing at him.

'Goodness, this is hard to explain.' Tonks bit her lip. 'We're in 1995.'

'OH MY GOD, POTTER, YOU ARE _SO _GOING TO BE DEAD!' the redhead roared at the James Clone, who, at Teddy's amusement, looked like he was about to shit himself. But what was even more amusing was that James himself looked exactly the same. They ignored Sirius's frustrated growl from down the hall.

'Is it just me or is that really, really weird?' the sandy-haired bloke said at the two.

'It's actually quite understandable, if you know as much as I do,' Teddy mused, a twinkle in his eye that made the sandy-haired guy raise an eyebrow. It was a look that he often gave his friends. 'I'm from 2018.'

'Well. I'm Remus Lupin,' he said, holding out a hand for him to shake. Ted glanced at his mother who gave him the same worried glance, but he took it anyway.

'I'm Teddy,' he said as simply as he could.

'I'm James,' the "James Clone" squeaked beneath the redhead's glower. 'James Potter.'

His grandson's face considerably paled, both his eyebrows raised. His mouth opened in the shape of an 'O' as he stared at the legendary Marauder, and Ted swore that he was trying with all his might not to blurt out something odd.

'What's so scary about Prongs?' the fat boy asked.

James II studied the fat boy for a moment before realising just who he was. '_YOU!_' he growled, a spark of fury burning in his eyes, taking a step towards the blob. Ted crossed his brows and clamped his mouth shut by setting his jaw, trying not to go with his reckless instinct and punch him senseless.

'_James_, don't!' Vic said quickly, punching the Potter's arm hard before he could advance further. The three Marauder boys stepped between the fat boy and James defensively, as if daring them to go ahead and take a swing. The redhead only looked baffled at both her school accomplices and her James.

James looked at Ted with his hazel eyes ablaze, expecting him to do something, but the Metamorphagus only shook his head in almost regret, turning around. 'Okay, you lot need to follow me,' Ted instructed over his shoulder, walking away with Lucy running behind him. 'There are loads of people there that'll be, err ...'

'... _happy _to see you,' Tonks finished. The redhead stopped glaring for a moment to throw the Metamorphaguses a suspicious look, and Tonks only sighed. 'I'm not a Death Eater, and no, I'm not a scary mass murderer, and _no_, I am not going to curse you into oblivion. I'm in fact a member of the Order of Phoenix – Dumbledore's work – and an Auror.'

'Really?' Sirius said, intrigued, and dived into a conversation as they started to walk back.

Ted carried Lucy in his arms, her little legs wrapped tightly around the side of his hip, feeling nervous for the two remaining (and old) Marauders. And for himself a little, he supposed – he had to tell his father yet _again _that he had a son that was not another apparent "failure" of his.

He wasn't _that _annoyed at his dad for acting the way he did. That was how he _was_, thinking that Ted would be dishonoured by the wizarding community along with his mother. It was a result from all those jabs and insults from everyone Remus came across.

Okay, maybe he _was _a little disappointed in his dad for not being so accepting. Maybe he was a little pissed off at himself for expecting a hug and a welcome with open arms, or even a blush like Harry had.

He just had to realise that Remus wasn't _like _that. And he was becoming frustrated with himself for wishing.

At least his mum wasn't that bad. At least his mum was still playful and did think about his feelings to a degree. For instance, when they walked back, they kept sharing the same apprehensive looks, as if they knew something was about to blow up.

'And who might you two be?' Ted said lightly at the boy with teary eyes and the redhead, even though he had no doubt in his mind who the boy was. It was the first step to be civil with his most hated enemy of all time.

'I'm Lily Evans.' She smiled, her green eyes sparkling at him kindly as she looked between him and Lucy. Ted could literally _feel _his god-brother's jaw drop.

'Why do you look so much like Lily, then?' Lucy asked, only to be immediately hushed by Victoire. But, of course, that didn't stop her mouth from moving. 'Not _you_, Lily, I mean. My cousin, actually, Lily Po–'

'Lily, SHUSH,' Vic cut in, Ted's free hand clamping around her mouth.

'I did think so,' he said, ignoring Lucy's little moment and his god-brother's look of disbelief. 'You're just a bit famous.'

'Really?' she said, intrigued.

James II scoffed. '"_Just a little_" ...'

'Do you have something to say, James?' Vic said, raising an eyebrow.

'Well, our family will have _loads _to say,' he replied, and for the first time Ted could clearly see the "I-really-really-_really_-am-not-looking-forward-to-this" expression written on his face.

'Are they here?' the Young Remus asked.

'Unfortunately.'

'Stay here for a mo',' Tonks said as they came up to the door. 'I just have to warn them, okay?'

The group nodded, and with that, the Metamorphagus gulped, stepping into the room.

_-x-_

'Everyone,' Tonks started as soon as the door closed softly behind her. All of them – even Snape – looked curiously at her. 'Not sure if you'll quite like this, but ... Remus, Sirius, you're out there,' she told the two Marauders, whose faces turned an ill shade of paper. 'Harry's parents too. And Peter.'

'Wormtail's there?' Harry erupted. 'HE'S here?'

'But he's younger,' Tonks said quickly before he could go into an angry rant. 'All of them are.'

'Yes, but you can't change anything,' Rose interrupted. 'Don't tell them about ... _that night_. You can't. It's too significant.'

'Yeah,' Molly agreed. 'Who knows what'll happen to us if you do.'

Tonks opened her mouth to reply, but a loud bang came from the door, followed by a female voice scowling. 'You can come in,' she said.

'No! Don't! Wait,' Albus's voice called out when the knob turned. 'What are we going to say to them?' he whispered. 'Tell them who we are?'

'That's what you did to us,' Arthur said sensibly. 'I can't see why not.'

'It'll be _fine_,' Mrs Weasley said.

'Ha!' Roxanne laughed. 'Easier said than done!'

'Hey mate,' Fred muttered to his twin. 'I think I like your kids.' The two twins chuckled to themselves, the others unknowing of their discussion, except from Fred II, who bit his lip to refrain himself from blurting out all the details of the War.

'People say I look a lot like my dad's mum,' Lily said quietly, tugging at the tips of her tangled red hair nervously. 'She'll be surprised.'

'Prongs has seen James before now,' Remus's voice of intelligence rang around the room. 'I'm sure she can handle it.'

'Prongs ...' Sirius whispered.

'It's a second chance to see them again, right?' Lily assured the two Marauders and Harry. 'Another chance to talk to them, to say things you wished you said ...'

'It's the first time we saw them, too, Harry,' Al said, careful not to call his father "Dad", since it would just be weird. 'Remember that.'

'They're sixteen,' Tonks warned.

'Merlin, just let them in,' Sirius grunted, 'before Remus gets too worked up and makes a run for it. And that we wake my mother up.'

Tonks scoffed at his word choice, walking over to the door and opening it slightly with a warning, 'Brace yourself.' She stepped away and let the group in.

First was Lily Evans, who studied the room with curiosity. Her granddaughter let out a muffled shriek at how similar they were – apart from the age difference and everything, they could pass as siblings. 'What d'you mean, brace – oh,' she stopped herself, noticing the people staring at her wide-eyed. '_Oh._' The first person she laid her eyes on was Remus, who smiled with sad eyes as she gasped. 'Oh God ...'

Ted lead the young Padfoot, Prongs and Moony, still carrying a tired-looking Lucy on the hip. 'Why are there -?' Prongs started as his grandson made his way around to his sister. The Marauder studied the little redheaded girl with great caution until widening his eyes in realisation. 'Hey, err, Lily –' he started.

'HOLY HIPPOGRIFFS!' Padfoot cried, spotting his older self, who just smirked. 'I LOOK REALLY, REALLY OLD!' He saw Remusbeside him, and had to hold onto Moony for support. 'MOONY, YOU LOOK REALLY OLD TOO!'

All Moony did was just raise his eyebrows awkwardly at the two old men in front of them, speechless at the grey hairs and scars written all over his future self's face.

'Lily, I know now is not the time, but –' James continued.

'James, it's always not the time,' Lily said automatically, staring at Harry. 'So please would you kindly bugger off, before I – OH NO!' she cried, her eyes bulging as she realised, too. 'NO NO NO _NOOO_!'

'What, Lily-Flower?'

'NOOOO!' she sobbed, leaning on the table for support. 'THIS CAN'T HAPPEN!'

'What can't happen?'

'WHY?' she bawled, everyone too occupied with the redhead's crying that they didn't see Peter and Victoire slowly emerging into the room. '_WHY_ DO HORRIBLE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO _ME_!'

'Nothings horrible, Lily-Flower. You got _me_, remember?'

'_POTTER!_'

Dumbledore coughed from the back of the room, gaining everyone's attention. He looked at his past students with kindness as he said, 'A strange series of events have happened during the last two hours, as you can imagine. I think I can see why it has happened, but before I explain we must introduce ourselves.'

He turned to face Mrs and Mr Weasley to start. Arthur looked unsure but his wife just smiled at the famous group of pranksters and heroes she often saw in her time at Hogwarts.

'I'm Molly Weasley,' she said, 'and this is my husband, Arthur. Surely you know us?'

'Oh yeah,' Padfoot laughed at Arthur, who smiled. 'You got the cane by Pringle, once, didn't you? When you were out after curfew?'

Arthur chuckled. 'I've still got the marks.'

'I'm Sirius,' Sirius said, and his younger self twitched, making him laugh. 'And yes, you beat Slytherin next season.'

'_Sirius_!' Hermione scowled as James and Sirius hissed a triumphant yes. 'Don't give them –'

'Yeah, 'cause telling them who's going to win will destroy humankind as we know it,' Ron said sarcastically, who received a slap in return.

'I'm Remus, of course,' Remus said, giving a smile.

'Mad-Eye Moody,' Moody grunted.

'Oh! I know you!' Lily said. 'You're in the Auror department, aren't you?'

He replied with another grunt, which made Tonks roll her eyes. 'Yes he is,' she answered for him. 'Oh, and you know me. Tonks.'

'Kingsley Shacklebolt.' The black skinned man greeted with a nod.

'Bill Weasley,' Bill said with an acknowledging nod. 'Charlie's in Egypt, just so you know. And Percy's being an arse.'

'My daddy's not an arse!' Lucy flared.

'_Lucy!_'

The Marauders and Lily gave Bill a confused look, expecting for him to explain. 'Tell you afterwards,' he told them.

'Severus Snape.' Lily gasped as Prongs, Padfoot and who Ted presumed as Wormtail burst out laughing, Moony holding in a smile as he looked at the floor.

'_Sev?_' Lily asked, aghast.

'I know,' Al said, his eyebrows arched in a sorrowful way, his palm resting on his cheek, ignoring Severus's glare. 'I was surprised too.'

'He still has _greasy hair_!' Prongs howled.

'And a big nose!' Peter sneered.

'Hermione Granger,' Hermione chirped, standing up and holding out a hand professionally in perfect timing. 'I'm Muggleborn, so you probably don't know my parents.'

'And I'm Harry,' the Boy-Who-Lived said quietly. '... Potter.'

Almost immediately, Prongs shouted, 'I _KNEW _YOU LOVE ME!' making everyone murmur a laugh as he pounced onto his future pale wife.

'Knew you had it in you, mate,' Padfoot said, clapping him on the back.

'The future is such a horrible place,' _Lily_ sobbed. 'I'm probably in a nursing home. Being nursed. And being old with you at my bedside ranting on about stupid Chasing in bloody Quidditch, and I can't tell you to bugger off 'cause I won't be able to say anything ...'

'But you love me.'

'... but I hate you, so NO, I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS RIGHT NOW!' she cried, pushing James onto the floor. Then, realising her mistake, she looked back at Harry apologetically as James and Sirius began doing a weird victory dance. 'I meant that to Potter – I mean, _James _Potter – and him only. I don't know how I am now with you or anything, but I just don't want to ...' she paused, studying Harry's pained expression. 'Wait,' Lily hushed the two, who silenced instantly. She crossed her eyebrows at Harry. 'Why are you looking at us like that? Don't you know –?'

Lily looked at her brother, Fred II and Roxanne alarmingly. Everyone knew that they were creative geniuses, and if it would be anyone, they could do something to stop her grandmother's clever thinking.

Roxanne nodded at her as _Lily_ asked the last question, nodding at Louis. She could distract them easily, if only there was a way that would make them look good, beautiful and most importantly _clever_ children ...

'I LOVE ROCKETSHIPS!' Roxanne announced loudly, hopping up from her chair. 'I LOVE LOVE _LOVE_ ROCKETSHIPS!'

'YEAH AND I LIKE LIONS,' Louis yelled, ''CAUSE THEY GO _RAWR_!'

Fred started jogging on the spot, huffing out exaggerated breaths and wiping invisible sweat from his forehead. 'THIS IS EXHAUSTING!'

'Did you know that tomatoes are fruit?' Hugo said quickly. 'I KNOW, REALLY WEIRD, RIGHT?!'

'PINK BANAN_ASSS_!' James II exploded. 'It's funny, because it has an 'ass' at the end.'

'Waffle,' Dom said carefully. 'WA-FFLE. Funny word, waffle. Wa-ffle ...'

'What's a microwave?' Molly asked spontaneously. 'MICRO-_WAAAVE_ ... woooosh!'

'DID YOU KNOW THAT MERLIN PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE A BEARD?!' Fred II shouted. 'THAT'S NOT TRUE BUT I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT –'

'HE HAD NO BEARD?!' Albus said outrageously.

'Yes he DID!' Lily argued. 'OBVIOUSLY he did, or else JAMES wouldn't say it all the time!'

'I SAY THAT MERLIN HAS FLUFFY RED SOCKS.' James II stood up from his chair and slammed his hand on the table surface.

'HE WOULD _SOOO _HAVE BLUE ONES,' Hugo said.

'NO HE WOULDN'T.'

'YES HE _WOULD_!'

Their parents were looking at their children with complete horror, while the elder ones nodded approvingly as if they could learn on their distraction methods. Mad-Eye Moody searched his trousers for his notepad.

'NOOO, HE WOOOULD _NOOOT_.'

Lily scoffed. 'So when did YOU see Merlin? DOWN AT THE PUB?'

'Leaky Cauldron, actually.'

'Oh.'

'BUFFILO _SOLDIAAAAH_!' Fred II started singing with James, and during the second verse all the grandchildren were singing along, Harry looking extremely thankful.

'_POTTER_!' Evans screeched at the five Potters in the room turned their heads to her. 'Oh gosh, this is confusing,' she said, looking at James and Harry with a puzzled expression. 'Now there are two Potters ...'

'Technically five,' Al cut in, shrugging, and Rose sighed and facepalmed herself.

'_FIVE_?' she said surprisingly. 'Wait, I have _four kids_?'

'Ah, Miss Evans, this is when I start to explain,' Dumbledore said, stepping a tentative step towards her. 'These children –' he gestured to the future clan of kids with an outstretched hand, all of whom murmured greetings, 'are from 2018.'

'Wow,' Padfoot speculated. 'That's a long time away. Is there, you know, hover boards and everything?'

'They are the future of the majority of us in this room,' he continued, ignoring the Black and paused for effect. 'They are the future Potter-Weasley clan.'

'With one exception,' Ted added, pointing a finger at himself.

'OHH!' Prongs said loudly. 'THAT'S why you look like me!' James nodded his head, goofily grinning at his legendary grandfather.

'Please, do take a seat,' Sirius gushed jokingly, and the standing group sat down, Padfoot sniggering under his breath.

'Let's introduce again, shall we?' the older Remus started, rubbings the palms of his calloused hands.

'Well I'm James Sirius Potter,' James started, who felt more comfortable now that he had sort-of befriended his mischievous grandfather.

'Thanks, James's son!' Padfoot grinned at Harry with a thumbs up, who knitted his eyebrows at how energetic the younger version of his godfather was but smiled anyway.

'Are you a troublemaker?' Lily said, biting her lip with her arms crossed. 'Because having those two names, you're going to be _cursed_.'

'The greatest!' James replied arrogantly. 'Well, with my partner in crime –'

'Fred Weasley,' Fred II said, jumping up from his seat. 'The second, obviously. And we're both Gryffindors.'

'Phew,' Prongs said lightly. 'I was getting worried then.'

'Play any Quidditch?' Padfoot asked. 'What position?'

'Oh, we're Beaters,' James told them, making them lean in tentatively.

Lily sighed, rolling her eyes. 'I'm Lily,' she said, making her grandmother send her and Harry a grateful smile. Prongs looked up from James and looked excitedly at the clone of his future wife. 'Lily Potter. Lily _Luna _Potter. I'm nine, so I can't go to Hogwarts, but I've heard about it all, and it sounds _amazing_ –'

'I'm sure you'll love it,' Moony assured with a smile. She looked surprised at him for a moment before beaming at him.

'I don't mind what house I'm in, though,' she said in an afterthought.

'Even Slytherin?' Padfoot said with a scrunched up nose. Dom tensed, ready to pounce.

'What do you mean, _"even Slytherin"_?' she snapped, crossing her eyebrows. She seemed to have the Potter, Weasley and occasionally the Lily Evans temper all at once; it was the main reason why no one in her family dared to argue with her, in fear that she would explode.

It was proved to be quite helpful, actually.

Everyone but Padfoot seemed to have noticed, since he replied with a nonchalant shrug. 'Everyone knows Slytherin's the worst house.'

At this, her eyes narrowed. Everyone knew that her closest cousins and best friends were Dominique and Hugo, and whatever her friends and family's business was, it had to be her business, too. James, spotting the look he would usually get, muttered to Padfoot, 'Don't do that, mate. She'll rip your head off.'

He just smiled. 'I've seen worse.'

'Repeat that. Slowly. Just ... slowly, so I can actually register that in my brain,' Louis said. 'Because nothing is worse.'

'Yes there is,' he snorted, glancing at Evans who smirked at her granddaughter's temper. _Her _temper.

'Anyway, you're a Potter, aren't you?' Prongs started the redheaded Potter, who was bawling her fists. 'So you're bound to be in Gryffindor.'

'Well,' she huffed, glancing at Dom, her arms crossed. 'You're going to get a surprise.'

The older Sirius sniggered under his breath, knowing already what the reaction would be when they heard Dominique. Lily glared at him, and he immediately stopped.

'You wanted to meet a Weasley who's a Slytherin, hmm?' Dom asked the young cocky Black, leaning on the table to get a better look of his face.

'There's no Weasley that's a –'

'Meet Dominique Weasley,' she burst, outstretching a hand and forcing a fake smile, her chair screeching as she stood. 'The Slytherin prefect.'

'WHAT?!' three of the Marauders started.

'But you CAN'T be a Slytherin! You're too good-looking!'

'And you're a WEASLEY. No WEASLEYS go in _Slytherin_. It's just unheard of.'

'Slytherin is horrible!'

'Green and silver ... euugh ...'

'STOP IT!' the youngest Potter screeched, her eyes shut tight and her face going as red as her hair. Ginny smiled at the trait her future daughter inherited from her. 'YOU were different from your family, weren't you?'

'Well, um, yes –'

'And YOUR parents weren't exactly pleased about you being a BRAVE LION, were they?'

'No –'

'Well, DOM HAS THAT. Except, you know, she has it from NON-FAMILY MEMBERS, TOO!' she said, glaring the same famous Lily Evans glare that they were so afraid of. 'HINT _HINT_, PAD_FOOT_.'

The Marauders turned pale at the nickname that stood up for their illegal nights, especially Moony, who had his eyes wide and eyebrows raised.

'We know everything,' Ted said calmly, making his father cross his eyebrows in thought. 'But we don't care. We'd all turn into Animagi if we had the chance.'

'But you're not –'

'Don't start the "I-really-can't-be-around-you-because-I'm-a-werewo lf-and-cannot-be-trusted-to-be-friendly-with-all-t hat-is-living-for-the-sole-reason-that-I'm-sort-of -dangerous-at-my-time-of-month-even-though-I-never -attack-you-90%-of-the-time" speech, because we've all heard of it enough times,' Tonks said, giving Remus a pointed look who scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.

Ted somehow found this hilarious and held in an air of laughter, as Moony observed the Metamorphaguses with interest. The werewolf debated whether or not to ask for a minute until he said, 'Are you two Metamorphaguses?'

Feeling more confident, Ted changed his hair into wildly spiked crystal-like silver, turning his skin into an emerald shade of green. 'Yeah,' he answered, grinning, his teeth looking whiter now with the green complexion. 'We are.'

'There y'are, Remus! We're all weird creatures, aren't we?' Tonks said, nudging Remus on the arm giddily, the two werewolves rolling his eyes with an amused smile as Ted turned back to his normal pale skin and turquoise hair.

Teddy decided that it was either now or never. He did it once, why couldn't he do it again? His dad might be better now that he was younger, because he was a _kid_, and Ted was twenty. He didn't have to feel like the minor child shrinking under the adult's gaze.

Which was sort of backward, since the adult was a child. But whatever.

'I think it's time to mention that I'm Teddy Remus Lupin,' he said, itching the back of his head with the tips of his fingers. Moony's mouth fell open, widening at times as if searching for words to say, but like always when it came to Ted, he was speechless. Prongs gave an understanding look to his friend, as if saying, "See how it feels?" as Padfoot was grinning goofily. Lily bit her lip as she smiled at the werewolves, expecting some sort of denial. All Peter did was look excited for Moony's reaction.

Harry, his two sons and daughter glared daggers at Wormtail, but nobody seemed to notice.

'And my son,' Tonks added in a self-assured tone. Even the old Remus and Ted looked at her in shock – Remus surprised at her boldness, Ted pleasantly surprised at her sign of acceptance.

Though, the Marauders weren't nearly as accepting.

'YOU HAD A BABY WITH MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD SECOND-COUSIN?!'

'MERLIN, MATE, YOU TWO ARE TWICE EACH OTHER'S AGE!'

'_MOONY_!'

'STOP!' Moony bellowed, covering his ears at the loud shouts. 'Merlin, I haven't even met her yet, Padfoot. She's not pregnant yet, is she?'

'HA!' James said suddenly, pointing at the older Remus in triumph. '_HAHA_!'

'How ironic,' Dumbledore mused.

'Hey, Remus,' Tonks said, smirking at her fellow Order member. 'I do believe I just proved you wrong.'


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry for the really, REALLY long wait, okay? This story is on half-hiatus (DON'TKILLMEPLEASETHANKYOU) because I'm starting to focus on more of my own stuff. But I might be able to do another chapter for this then start really 'hiatus-ing'.**

**Also, **_**Lily **_**is Lily Evans. Lily is normal Lily. I thought you guys might have read a few of these types of stories to gather that :P**

**And, just saying – I don't own the idea. At all. I read this fanfiction and liked the idea so I put my own twist on it. This fanfic is more dramatic than comedic, really – even though I do enjoy the hilarity of it at the same time.**

**So yeah. Basically – SORRY, **_**Lily **_**is Lily Evans, and I DON'T OWN THE IDEA OR ANYTHING EXCEPT MAYBE THE PLOT (SORT OF).**

**Sorry.**

**Right. **

**Enjoy.**

_**Iloveyouthanksforthereviewskkbye!**_**  
**

* * *

'So,' Mrs Weasley's voice echoed across the dining room, clasping her hands across her belly. Nobody paid mind that Moody escaped the whole house altogether with a haste grunt. 'Anyone up for supper?'

'Yes.'

'Indefinitely.'

'Yeah, please, if you could.'

'If only it's not peas and carrot soup.'

Everyone swivelled around to a cheesy looking Roxanne, who scratched the back of her head uneasily. 'I hate peas and carrots,' she said, as if it was a valuable reason. 'It's disgusting.'

'Hey, I don't like peas and carrots, too!' George replied with an excited grin, his arms outstretched. 'No wonder we're related!'

'We're all related,' Rose quipped, giving a roll of her eyes.

With that witty sarcastic comment, it spurred the table into conversation – _Lily_ rushing towards Harry for eager conversation, Moony hesitantly strolling towards Teddy and Prongs making a beeline towards Roxanne, James, Fred and the twins.

Whilst all the others oh-so-casually made conversation, young Padfoot was on a mission. With confident, determined strides towards a particular ginger – the only ginger in the household that hadn't gotten the fiery flare red but a calming orange instead. As soon as he came behind her, he leaned over onto the table, coming between a surprised Hugo and his Slytherin victim. 'Hello.'

'Hi,' Dominique said shortly, not amused in the least. 'Still being a prat, I assume?'

'The biggest,' he whispered in her ear in the most seducing tone he could possibly come out with, rubbing his hand on her lap. He knitted his eyebrows when he still received a stony expression. 'Why aren't you –?'

'– head over heels for you?' she finished, raising an eyebrow. Hugo snorted. 'Because I just saw a forty-year-old you, that's why.'

'Well.' He stood up straight, his grey eyes sparking with self-hilarity, pleased to see Dom's blue ones have a glint of entertainment and curiousity in them – probably inside laughing at his odd pursuit. 'Good day to you, then.'

'Yes, sir,' Hugo said in a joking undertone, sniggering. As soon as he left to pester Rose (who looked mortified as soon as she caught sight of him walking towards her), Dom smacked him on the arm.

'He's a moron,' she commented. 'A moronic, stupid, bloody arsehole.'

Little did they know that Roxanne and Prongs were making bets about the next Weasley baby from down the table.

Next to Hugo, Lily found herself having a civilised chatter with her mother for the first time in weeks – usually they were having embarrassing "girl talks" about bras and ... other disgusting things for a 9-year-old to even think about. She gave an unintentional shiver.

'You alright?' Ginny said from across the table, giving a nod her way, smiling. 'You cold?'

Lily didn't miss a beat. 'YES.'

After a few haste whispers between Dumbledore and Severus during Albus's enthusiastic rants about Quidditch, the announced that they had to leave, due to a few Hogwarts matters that needed to be settled. All the future Weasley/Potter clan looked as if they were about to burst into uncontrollable laughter at the innuendo.

Ron scrunched his nose, confused, as he took a bite of his pork chops. 'What are they laughing 'bout?'

Molly rolled her eyes. 'Something you'll eventually understand.'

'What do you –' Hermione cut herself off, her eyes growing wide. 'They're really –'

Victoire nodded in confirmation. 'Dumbledore is, certainly.'

Her prudish aunt never looked so mortified in her life.

Down the other end of the table, Tonks observed Moony and Teddy. 'Looks like you're having precious bonding time with Teddy,' she smirked at Remus as she studied the enthusiastic spark in her son's eyes and the kind smiles of a young Remus.

All Remus did was knit his eyes ruefully at the brothers he used to have but were now ... well, gone. 'Perhaps this is a second chance, Dora,' he muttered, making her in turn give a concerned frown. 'We can make things better.'

Inspiration hit her as she knocked her shoulder against his playfully. 'It's already better, Wolfy,' she grinned. 'Full moon's next week.'

He groaned. 'Don't remind me.'

'You'll have a new play pal!' she said excitedly, throwing her hands in the air, her grin broadening. 'No, no, even better – you'll have _yourself_! You'll have a completely new perspective on yourself!'

This seemed to perk him up, much to Tonks's delight. 'I'll have five acquaintances.'

'What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?' She scrunched up her nose. 'I was going on about how it'd be so much more easier now that you can see how amazing you really are, Remus.'

'Doesn't matter, Dora.'

'_Remus_ ...'

'Really,' he told her, an unusual spark of amusement in his eyes. 'It doesn't.'

* * *

'Hey, Harry?'

Harry opened his eyes – not like he was _really _sleeping, anyway, just resting his eyelids – and sat up, looking at Ron curiously. 'What?'

'Just wondering if you, err,' said Ron. 'If you, err, feel okay about everything that's happened.'

'Surprised. Shocked. Embarrassed. Don't really know what to feel and how, at the moment,' said Harry.

'All I feel is old,' Ron admitted with an uneasy laugh. 'But I s'pose I'll have time to think it through for tomorrow. You know, since there's only –'

But, alas, he got interrupted by the creak of the door opening and the emerging yellow light of the hallway. Their heads snapped towards the door to see a crowded bundle of figures, some tall and muscular and some small and thin. With a flicker of the light switch, it brightened to see all the boys, Hugo and James at the front.

James gave his father a cheeky grin that Harry, he realised with a jolt, mostly found in Ginny when she was larking around with her brothers. 'Got room for eight more?'

'So much for thinking it through for tomorrow,' Ron grumbled grumpily, but moodily agreed anyway.

'Aw, thanks,' Padfoot grinned, charging in from the back of the crowd and throwing his pillows and mattress next to Harry. 'Alright, Harry?'

Harry couldn't help but be startled at how Sirius had changed – his godfather never really had that mischievous spark in his eyes, instead had that same dull grey that showed his resentment of life in general. This Sirius, this Padfoot – he was full of life, jumping around and never having that depressed, glum straight line of his lips, instead using them for grinning and seducing girls.

... which he still didn't know how he felt about. Spotting him whispering in Bill's kid's ear wasn't something he was quite used to.

'Y-yeah,' Harry answered finally, stuttering with surprise rather than nervousness.

Prongs threw his stuff next to his partner-in-crime, before standing up and gathering as much air that was possible in order to make his chest puff out, sternly looking down at Harry. 'Why are you up so late, _mister_?'

James burst out with laughter, settling his stuff in between Fred and Hugo, who was next to an amused Albus. All Albus did was look at his father, concerned at what he'd do.

But his concern wasn't much needed, since even Harry laughed along with the murmurs of snickers, not really knowing how to reply.

''S'okay if you feel a bit awkward,' Prongs shrugged, sitting down onto his pile of pillows, pushing up his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. 'I would if I saw my dad.'

Padfoot snorted, clearly picturing it in his head as he lied down onto his back. 'Mr Potter being an awkward sixteen-year-old.'

Moony shook his head, rolling his amber eyes and sitting himself next to Albus, Wormtail scuttling close behind and flopping next to him and Prongs, making a full circle.

'What a nice formation we made,' Moony mused.

'Before we start, we need to sort of a few things,' Albus said, pointing a finger up like he would if he was in class – something, he learnt, that was rather effective to get attention where his family was concerned. 'Names.'

'Oh, easy.' Prongs waved a dismissive hand. 'Just call us by our _proper _names.'

Albus looked at him, confused. 'But –'

'He means by our Marauder names,' Remus corrected, rolling his eyes at his mates like it was the typical thing they did.

'Oh! _OH! _Do that thing!' Hugo said excitedly, beaming at the three, including Wormtail.

He was a bit too young to be told what exactly happened the night that changed everything – Lily only knew by the sheer stubborn curiosity and Hugo clearly caught the inobservance from his father. None of his cousins told Hugo for fear that he'd blow up with undirected anger (blame Ron) and Lucy didn't even know what trading and betrayal even was, despite her being clever for her age and all. Therefore, during the whole of supper, it was them who treated Wormtail as if he wasn't the dirtiest scrap on Earth.

'What thing?' Padfoot said, still in habit to pretend inconspicuous.

James rolled his eyes. 'C'mon, do it. All three of you. Even you, Peter,' he said, trying not to look _too _livid at the pudgy thing. 'Turn into your respectable, unhygienic creatures.'

'I _would _like to see it,' Ron declared. ''Cause, you know, last time I saw Siri – I mean, Padfoot be, well, Padfoot was when I broke my knee.'

'How'd you do it?' Padfoot asked. The four boys from the future leaned in curiously, not hearing this particular tale.

'You sunk your great big canines into it!' Ron said, offended that one would even ask that question.

Padfoot shrugged, not delving into the tale as he usually would. 'I would've done it if I had good reason.'

Harry had to stop himself from laughing, coming out with an unattractive snort.

'_So_,' Moony cut in, looking at the youngest generation. 'What d'you do in your spare time?'

'Carrying on the Marauders name with Freddo.'

'Quidditch.'

'Annoying Rose.'

For a few moments, Moony stared at the three blankly, as if expecting something like flying spacecrafts, until he shrugged. 'Fair entertainment sources.'

'Ted's entertainment source is Victoire,' Albus smirked as Moony paled. 'I'll leave it to you how you decipher that one.'

Padfoot grinned. 'Has he shagged her yet?'

'SIRIUS!'

* * *

'I can't sleep,' Dominique groaned in her pillow. All she could think about was how annoying both Blacks were, and how complicated yet thrilling everything was going to get. The thought made her want to get out of the stuffy room and out into the streets of London to dance and tell everyone who wins the next Quidditch Cup ...

You know, because it was a fun thing to do, and stuff. Not because she was a Slytherin and all Slytherins spoil things for people. Pfft, _no_ –

Okay, it _was _the typical Slytherin inside of her coming out. But she was in 1995! The very _peak _of the Wizard Sisters! How could she _not _stop the adventurous thoughts in her head?

Then again, on the other side of the scale, she didn't know if she could even go home. She may not see her OCD French _mere _anymore, or her punk-dressed dad. She might not ever see Victoire's cat Sparkles who she pretended she despised but secretly loved –

'You're awake, too?'

Dom jumped at the whisper next to her, turning her head to look at a wide-awake _Lily_. 'Yeah,' she said, giving a kind smile; she liked _Lily_ – reminded her of her own nine-year-old Lily that was oddly one of her best friends. So WHAT if she befriended a kid cousin? 'Yeah, too excited.'

'_Excited_?' _Lily _said in a whisper that could easily be a small cry of disapproval. 'We might not ever go home, Dom, how could that be _exciting_?'

'It's been a bit boring in the future,' she murmured. 'See, everyone's happy. There's peace. But everyone seems to be happy except from ... me, I s'pose.'

Dom knitted her eyebrows at herself. Was she _really _unhappy? Could she really say that the life of contentment and peace was somewhat boring? The broken sobs her mother would have on the night of Victoire's birthday – 2nd of May. The endless tragedies were for the days she lived in, after all. Who was she to say that she was merely _bored_ and _unhappy_, while she was safe from harm's way?

Well, that was just who she was.

She lived for thrill, danger. The funny thing was was that her Patronus was a clownfish.

A _clownfish_.

No, no, nothing respectable like a horse or a swan or a lion. Merlin, it wasn't even a snake.

A CLOWNFISH.

WHAT, for Merlin's sake, did little _CLOWNFISHIES_ have _anything_ to do with unsatisfied, unhappy, dangerous ginger SLYTHERINS?!

Clownfish, apparently.

She supposed it was something about Finding Nemo.

It had to be.

A CLOWNFISH ...

With that thought, she determinedly sat up, shaking Roxanne, who slept peacefully on her right. 'Roxanne,' she muttered, feeling _Lily _sitting up from her own mattress and curiously eyeing the cocoa-skinned girl. After moments of violent shaking, Dom turned to her last resort. '_ROXY._'

'WHO CALLED ME ROXY?'

'Shut up, you big dunderhead,' Dom scowled. 'Do you want to be found out?'

'We're not escaping imprisonment again, Dom,' Roxanne told her, rolling her eyes, referring to the time when both of them were grounded in the Burrow when they were seven and eight due to their own respectable stupidity, and came together to try to escape Mrs Weasley's clutches. It didn't work. 'I'm not getting my bloody arse smacked again.'

'I want to pull a prank on the boys,' she said. 'They're making a right racquet downstairs.'

'It's James and Black,' _Lily _put in as Roxanne shifted herself onto the other end of Dom's bed. 'They always tend to be loud, the idiots.'

Dom grinned. 'That's why us three,' she said, gesturing at the small triangle that was forming between them, 'must prank the prankers.'

'But we're already pranksters,' said Roxanne.

The ginger tipped her head to the side with a nod. 'Correction: we must prank the pranksters along with the most uptight Gryffindor prefect.'

Roxanne grinned evilly. 'Oh yes,' she said darkly. 'Oh yes, that'll do.'

'Oi!' _Lily _interrupted their wickedness with an accusing finger. 'Who said I'm going to do it?'

'I did.'

'She did.'

'_We both did_.'

'Ha!' Roxanne laughed. 'We both said that at the same time!'

'I know!' Dom snickered. 'We're brilliant! We're born to do a combination prank!'

Roxanne's wild black curls bounced as she nodded fiercely. 'Positively,' she agreed. 'It'd be like those Muggle programs, when both the stars from a TV show come together!'

'So do witches and wizards do Muggle stuff now?' _Lily _asked, out of curiosity.

'Oh, yeah. _Spongebob Squarepants_ and _Family Fortunes _and _Friends _replays and all that codswallop,' Dom said with a dismissive waft of her hand. 'But _please_, _Lily_, do this prank with us. You're perfect bate!'

'BATE?'

'Who's bate?'

'Oh, hey, Lils,' Dom said pleasantly.

Roxanne groaned. 'So much for a grown up prank.'

'What prank?' Lily yawned, coming over from her corner of the room and plopping herself comfortably onto _Lily_'s.

'One that we're devising,' Dom said excitedly. 'You in?'

'Hell yeah!'

'GREAT,' Roxanne said sarcastically. 'Now we have to bring bloody Barney into this –'

'HEY.'

'Who's Barney?'

'ALRIGHT!' Dom shouted as loud as a whisper-shout can be. 'Right, if this is going to work, we need to work _together _or else we won't ever see the horrified expressions on those _dickheads_ –'

'_Dom!_'

'Imagine,' Roxanne said with a faraway look in her eyes. 'Pranking the Marauders ...'

Privately, Dom didn't really give a damn for Marauders, or co-operation. She mostly did things on her own – and if she did do something with someone else, it would be with Lily, perhaps even Hugo, too. The suspicion in Lily's eyes were certainly there, but it softened when she caught Dom's "I-Know-This-Is-Unusual-But-Stick-With-It-OK?-Than ks" look.

'Alright, what's the plan?' Lily said, becoming more eager after their silent conversation.

_Lily _onlysighed. 'Merlin, does the Potter stupidity really skip a generation?'

'Are you doing it or not?' Lily snapped, a bit peed off at her grandmother's witty and snarky comment.

After thinking for a moment, their awaited answer came. 'Ugh, _fine_.'

'Huzzah!'

'You're the worst but best prefect there is, you know that? But don't tell Hermione or Vic that.'

'You know that they'll find out anyway, don't you, Rock?'

'I am NOT a _ROCK_!'

* * *

**WHAT'S THE PLAN, YOU SAY?...**

**That's for YOU to ask and ME to write for in my own time, which might be a long time judging by the amount of chapters I have to write to end my novel ...**

**Heh.**

_**Don't kill meee ...**_


	5. Chapter 5

**... Well, that update was more quicker than I thought.**

**The reason why I've seemed to update this one in my "partially-hiatus" phrase is because this story is really easy to write. So I'm sorry.**

**This will most probably be the last update in a long time ... sorry ...**

**Oh, and the story will be more dramatic now, I think. Just to warn you :)**

* * *

'You know, you never told us your name,' realised Prongs, leaning forward to Albus curiously. 'You _are _one of my grandsons, after all, right?'

'I – err, well,' Albus started, surprised at himself for having the sense to delay his answer. At least he wasn't stuttering. 'You're right there.'

James rolled his eyes, tutting at his supposed brother's lack of lying capability. 'His name's Albus.'

Moony narrowed his eyes at Harry from across the circle. 'Why are all your sons and daughter named after people?' he asked, squinting suspiciously at him. 'Didn't you think that be easy to mistake someone by?'

'It hasn't –'

Padfoot faced Harry, agreeing with Moony. 'Mate, that has to be a bit confusing when your parents visit and that.'

Only Harry's sons saw the flicker of sadness cross over his green eyes, but it went as soon as it came. 'I don't _know_,' Harry defended. 'I don't – me and – I – _I'm fifteen_!'

Wormtail smirked for the first time that evening, but it wasn't a cold-hearted one like Albus expected – one that was like a normal boy's, amused and happy. He wondered what made the guy hand over his grandparents and Dad like that, if it was a gradual build up or a sudden, spontaneous thing to do.

Either way, Wormtail was going to be a rat for the best part of 13 years, and be a coward all the way up until he died.

Albus couldn't even accuse the Sorting Hat of being wrong; the idiot had nowhere else to go – he had no form of any wit, nor any die-hard loyalty, nor any cunning instincts and determination. So being a lion was the only way for Peter Pettigrew, he supposed.

Besides, Albus wasn't all _that _brave, either.

Mostly.

* * *

'Why do you hate Pettigrew so much?'

Roxanne jumped at the question as she poured the ice-cold buckets of water in the aluminium buckets, turning sharply to face _Lily_'s confused expression. 'Please elaborate,' Roxanne said shortly; she didn't exactly want to answer the question, nor did she want to _lie _to one of the greatest witches ever known.

Being truthful wasn't something Roxanne wanted to be a lot, she had to admit. It was natural when your mum is dating your dead uncle that was now alive and when your father wasn't depressed on his birthday anymore and when you tend to lie to impress like a 9-year-old redheaded cousin of yours and when you joke around a lot even though you're actually really, _really_ lame –

'Well,' _Lily _started. 'It's just ... I know Pettigrew is a moronic idiot. He's shyer than the other ones but he's still an _idiot _and I _know _that, but ... you all look at him as if he's the mud on your feet.'

It took a while for Roxanne to answer, but eventually she came up with a vague true answer. 'He did things,' she said. 'Terrible things.'

'What did he –?'

'_Lily_, please,' Roxanne cut in with her plead, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten at the thought of explaining _that night_. Despite not being directly affected, it was something that shook all the family. She turned the tap off, bringing the bucket over and placing it on the floor with a loud, clumsy _clack_. 'Don't make me explain to you.'

'_Why_?' _Lily _started to look a wee bit annoyed, crossing her eyebrows.

'I lie,' she blurted, making the redhead look surprised. 'I mean, you would too, if your father was a successful shop owner that drinks firewhis – why am I telling you this?' she cut herself off, realising her eyes blurring with tears. Hastily, she wiped the tears, staring down at her slightly wet palms with fake amusement. '_Ha_.'

_Lily _looked at her, concerned but not enough for contact. 'Why are you crying?'

'Must be the time travel,' Roxanne said breathily, giving her a crooked grin. 'Or I'm having the, err, _bleedies_.'

It took a minute for the redhead to catch on. 'Oh. _Oh_ – EUGH, _Roxanne_!'

Just like that, Roxanne's meaningful, truthful demeanour vanished into the role she played 24/7 – one of a joker's. 'Let's just fill these with smelly "piss", alright? I want those boys to smell like rotten eggs and shit mixed together.'

'_Roxanne_!'

The fourteen-year-old's grin stretched wider. 'When you're a Potter or a Weasley,' Roxanne told her, seeing _Lily_'s cheeks turn red at the slight insinuation of her to-be James, 'you _never _have a clean mouth. Unless you're Aunt 'Mione's lot, or Fleur's.'

'Who's Fleur?'

'Dom's French mum,' she explained. 'She's a bit upright and sometimes strict, but she's family.'

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the attic ..._

'Lily, this is the plan, okay? You listening?'

'Yeah. Go.'

'Right. Okay. I know you're quiet, so tip-toe down there with those small feet of yours. Carry this ladder with you – don't start, Potter, it's only small – and set it against the wall near the door. See if the door's open. I'll be down the hall. If it is, widen it a little. If not – give me the signal.'

'What signal?'

'You know, the one with the whistle – oh, just _forget it_. Just come back to me and I'll fix it.'

'Gotcha, Captain. Oh, and Dom?'

'Hmm?'

'You're such a Slytherin.'

'You're such a Hufflepuff.'

'Tonks was a Hufflepuff.'

'Snape was a Slytherin.'

'Snape's a git.'

'He saved your dad's life.'

'_Because he loved his mum_?!'

'People go to a lot of lengths for love, Lily, you know that. Now _go_, or else Grandma is going to catch us.'

'Alright, _alright_. Merlin.'

'Oi!'

'What _now_?'

'Stop with that tone, missy. I'll tell your mum on you.'

'My mum's fourteen.'

'Oh, shut up and do your duty.'

* * *

Roxanne gave a sly grin as they tip-toed past her father's room, one that he seemed to share with his brother. 'We _could _just prank him,' she thought aloud, giving a shrug towards _Lily_. 'The famous _Weasley Twins_ ... God, how he misses that name ...'

'Why does he miss that name?' _Lily _asked in a cautious whisper, looking back at the door with a curious gaze.

Instead of pleading, Roxanne used the art of ignoring. 'Being in the past _sucks_,' she moaned, her volume becoming heard. 'I can't help thinking on what could've been, what could happen now ... should be easier for you then, right, _Lily_?'

The redhead turned to face the girl with surprise. 'Easy? It's not _easy_!' she said, her voice raising at the same volume of Roxanne's, her eyes wide with offence. 'We have to try and not ask questions, questions that can ruin ... ruin _everything_!' she spluttered in frustration. 'It's not hard for Remus and Black – they _know _who they are, what they're up to when they're 30-odd. While me? – my own _son _is keeping secrets from me, and I'm not _here_?' She stopped, the two buckets she held gripped tight in her hands, facing a shocked Roxanne. 'I need _answers_. I need them _now_.'

'How do you know Harry's lying to you?' Roxanne said hoarsely, her throat now dry.

_Lily _sighed. 'My eyes,' she said dejectedly, her shoulders dropping as the fight inside washed away. 'We can't lie at all, you know. Emotions show, all in the stupid colour.' She kicked the floor, her eyes downcast. 'Can't believe I get hitched with _Potter_.'

Roxanne grinned. 'Apparently he's a great bloke,' she said.

'Apparently?' _Lily _asked, turning her head up to face hers. 'What d'you mean, _apparently_? Haven't you met him?'

The fourteen-year-old let out a nervous laugh, unable to lie like she usually would under the emerald gaze of Uncle Harry's. She could never lie to the Boy-Who-Lived, and it seemed not to the Mother-Who-Died, either. 'Look, you older Potters aren't all for the public eyes,' she lied between her teeth, seeing _Lily _knitting her eyebrows in stern disbelief. 'You're both old and ... and wrinkly. Us Weasleys are too loud for you two. Now can we please go down to the 1st floor to meet the others? I don't want to be interrogated anymore.'

_Lily _studied her for minutes on end before sighing once again with defeat. 'I s'pose. Sorry, Roxanne,' she said, starting to walk along the corridor again. 'I just ... I just need answers, is all.'

'It's alright,' Roxanne accepted. 'I would want them, too. But in my offence, there are some questions better unanswered.'

The pair returned to their partly one-sidedly chatty ways, walking along the silent, gloomy hallways with their four buckets of water. Neither of them noticed two ginger boys give each other uneasy looks in between the crack of the door.

* * *

Dominique sighed in relief when Lily scampered back, giving her a thumbs up. The redheaded girl decided to run the last bit of the hallway, a grin playing on her lips. 'I've opened it,' she whispered excitedly. 'They're clueless!' She let out an immature giggle that sounded slightly evil. 'What do we do now?'

'We wait for the water,' Dom instructed calmly. 'We can't do it without the _bucket_s.'

'Mwahaaha,' Lily laughed darkly. '_The buckets_.'

The Weasley gave the Potter a surprised look. 'Lily,' she said. 'You're never usually this excited.'

'It's _James_, Dom,' Lily told her, as if it put everything into proportion. '_I'm _going to prank _James_.'

'Fair, fair,' the Weasley admitted, shrugging.

Two pairs of footsteps sounded down the hall. Normally, Dom would've fretted and hastily stumble into a random door, in fear of getting caught – but when she heard the typical twitter of Roxanne's voice, her shoulders sagged in relief.

'... and you should've seen Molly's face!' Roxanne let out an unaware hoot of laughter. 'Her eyes bulged and her specs dropped to the floor and Fred – my _brother_ Fred, of course – collapsed into giggles – oh, hullo.'

'Lower you voice, idiot,' Dom scowled. 'They'll hear us.'

'But we got you the water,' _Lily _said, almost disappointed in herself. Regret flashed across her eyes as she handed them over. 'How on bloody Earth did Dumbledore make _you _a prefect?'

Dom smirked, choosing to ignore the mention of Dumbledore. 'Professor Vincent said that it was because of my heart, but I think he was just being nice.'

'Oh, yes,' Roxanne agreed. 'Merlin knows how many detentions Dom had.'

'I chose to play it down a little when I got the badge,' Dom said, leading them towards the door. 'They thought that if I got the title, I would stop. But I don't, obviously. The Forbidden Forest awaits me!'

'Wait,' Lily halted, turning to Dom. 'You don't prank? You just get detentions for going to the Forbidden Forest?'

'Me and Filch don't get along, so it's that too, but it's really James, Fred and Roxanne that does the pranking. I usually go solo,' Dom answered as Roxanne gave a proud grin. 'Now can we actually do this prank?'

_Lily _looked around alarmingly. 'Lower your bloody voices,' she advised. 'Don't want Remus or anyone to come along and catch us.'

'That's the spirit, _Lily_!' Roxanne praised, pumping a fist in the air.

'_Shh_!'

'I'm just _congratulating_ –'

'_SHHHH_!'

The quartet carried on down the halls, sure to stealthily descend the stairs and not to wake up the alert Walburga Black. Turning sharply around the banister, Lily leading and Dom bringing up the rear, they cautiously made their way around the twists and turns of Grimmauld Place's ground floor.

'I don't think this is the floor,' murmured _Lily_.

'No, Mrs Weasley sent the Marauders on the ground floor,' Roxanne said surely, gaining an impatient '_shh_' from Dom. 'Unless ...'

'... they went to see Dad,' the Potter finished. 'They'd bring James along, though. He practically worships the Marauders.'

'Don't we all?' _Lily _drawled sarcastically.

'And then he'd drag Albus,' Dom caught on, 'and Hugo wouldn't want to be alone. Lily,' she said, the answer dawning on her. 'Does this mean this whole plan was addressed to the _wrong floor_?'

Lily could see the frustration in her cousin's eyes, and paled considerably. 'Well, yes –'

'And we came down all the way from the ATTIC to the GROUND FLOOR to the WRONG ROOM?' she said, her voice beginning to raise.

'Hey, Domikins,' Roxanne said. 'It's okay. _I'll _carry the ladder, and we can just go to the first floor.

Haste whispers were shared between them, it was confirmed that the boys would be staying in the 1st floor. Scowling ('What's the pretty face for, Dom?'), moaning ('Roxanne, _SHH_!'), whining ('Lily, c'mon, it's not that far.') and regretful mumblings ('Why did I agree to this? I'm a prefect, I should be stopping this ...'), the girls marched back the way they came, one bucket held in the trustworthy hands of Dominique and _Lily_.

Dom could've laughed or cried when they saw the light of an open door, a wave of released apprehension washing over her. She sent a warning look over her shoulder, mouthing the word 'shut up' to Roxanne for extra effect. Nodding her head at the wall, Roxanne acknowledged the signal and hurried to said wall, setting the ladder into place.

The two older girls placed the four pails of water to the side, as Lily surreptitiously climbed up the stairs of the ladder, nudged the door open slightly and gestured for them to hand her a bucket.

'... don't _know_,' Harry's high-pitched voice stuttered, nearly making Lily snort. 'I don't – me and – I – _I'm fifteen_!'

Murmurs of laughter echoed across the halls, making Dom give her trademark smirk as she handed Lily a pail of water. She would make the Muggle prank more ... well, magical, but nobody was of age – apart from Teddy and Victoire, but Victoire was too uptight for her own good and Teddy would tell them to save it for another time.

Besides, they had they shared the same _bed_.

_EUUGHHH. BAD THOUGHTS, BAD THOUGHTS –!_

'Still,' Prongs's clear, proud voice started. 'It's still suspicious.'

He seemed to turn to his next victim, James, since James answered, 'Classified information, dear grandfather, my old pal.'

'_Classified information_?!' _Lily_ whispered, sending an aghast look Roxanne's way. 'Is this what this is? _Classified_?!'

'_SHH_!'

As Lily placed the two pails of water above the door, she quickly climbed down and grinned. 'Hand me one,' she ordered Dom quietly.

Roxanne put the ladder back against the wall, her own pail of water in her hand. 'You two are the distractions,' Roxanne whispered, surprisingly quiet, backing against the wall on one side of the door while Lily did on the other.

_Lily _unwillingly let out a smile. 'Easy,' she told Dom.

'Follow my lead,' Dom instructed, marching towards the door. Dramatically, she started to hyperventilate. 'JAMES!'

'What is it?' both James asked from behind the door, obviously distressed.

'Its ... it's Lily,' Dom acted, ignoring the offended look of _Lily_'s. 'Both of them, actually. They broke something, I dunno what, but I need your help ...'

'My dear Lilyflower!' Prongs called. 'I WILL SAVE YOU!'

'Oh, Prongs, give it _up_.'

'Evans needs help again?'

'Wormtail, it looks like it.'

'MY SISTER IS IN DANGER! OUT THE WAY!'

'YEAH, DAD, BLOODY MOVE IT, _I'M NAMED AFTER THE MOST POWERFUL WIZARD OF ALL_!'

'SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND!'

'It's only a broken bone, they can heal it tomorrow.'

'Harry, mate, your family's nuts.'

Dom gave _Lily_ an expectant jerk of her head. 'Um,' _Lily _started. 'Ow.'

'IT'S OKAY, LILY DEAREST, I'M COMI –' Prongs burst through the door, the Marauders close behind – James, Hugo and Albus in a near second, Ron and Harry far behind at the back –

... when hell broke loose.

The Marauders watched in slow motion as the two pails of water dropped from on top of the door, the liquid gradually spilling into the air.

'FUCKING SHIT –' Padfoot began, bringing Prongs in front of him in effort to shield himself – but, alas, nobody was spared, since Lily charged in with a roaring 'AAGGHHH!', chucking water at her brothers, uncle and father with wild, revengeful cackles. Roxanne dumped her lot on Wormtail and Padfoot, grinning so wide, Dom was afraid that her face would split.

'AHA!' _Lily _said indignantly. 'HOW'S IT LIKE NOW TO BE THE VICTIM, HEY, POTTER?'

The looks in Prongs's eyes were murderous. In fact, all of the boys' eyes were murderous – well, except from Remus, Hugo and Harry, who laughed good-naturedly.

The girls gave each other daunting glances before Dom yelled, 'RUN!'

With that, the new pranking quartet dashed away from the crime scene, screeching out loud giggles down the hall as they heard outraged shouts from behind them.


End file.
